Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, he is a member of the Labour Party in Britain. I thank you for your assistance, but I know that. I have seen him answer questions. He does address the question. He does answer the question. He gives information. It is not always an answer that he would want to give, but he does give it.

I remember I often used to say to former Senator Hill when he was Leader of the Government in the Senate, ‘That was a great question; you could have really given the questioner an uppercut on that one.’ But, no, Senator Hill never played politics with his answers to questions in question time. He gave information; he actually addressed the questions. Most government ministers used to. When I was a minister, I always attempted to address the question. My good friend former Senator Kemp was also one who very often answered the question and gave information. But we are not seeing that now and that is why I do think we need a change.

I will concede, seeing he is in the chamber, that Senator Faulkner does try to answer questions. Senator Evans, much as I hate to say this, on occasion does attempt to give an answer. But the rest them who currently sit opposite seem quite incapable of giving information.