Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Unwittingly, Senator Ludwig has in fact confirmed Senator Fifield’s point of order. Senator Ludwig is saying that there is some critical information that Senator Conroy should be disseminating to the Australian people about this economic situation. I though that was what the Prime Minister’s address to the nation was about last night. We have asked a specific question in relation to whether or not the government can guarantee that the budget would be in deficit by the time of the next election. Whether Senator Conroy wants to address other issues is beside the point. As you have quite rightly pointed out, Mr President, this is question time and we expect answers to those questions, not to the sorts of questions that Labor were hoping may have been asked.