Amanda Vanstone (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a similar point of order. I do not have any difficulty with what Senator Ray suggests, because it will give you an opportunity to reflect and then come back to us and say such as you will. If you take up the suggestion put forward by Senator Ray and respond to the Senate, I hope that you will make some remarks with respect to those senators who, when you are in the process of telling them that you think there is no point of order or making some other remark in order to keep order in this place—for example, that they should cease interjecting—consistently answer you back while you are in the process of keeping that order and seem to take the approach that, should you dare put them in their place, they will consistently challenge you. There are times, and many people have been in this situation, when rulings will be made that we would rather not be made. But I do not think that any of us can accept a situation where someone consistently calls your authority into question. I invite you to make remarks with respect to that should you choose to take up Senator Ray’s offer.