Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order in respect of this matter, for which there was a formal motion. It was granted formality and the motion was moved. It was moved without debate. Granting leave does not alter that position, but the debate is now ensuing in respect of the motion. This was a motion moved without debate. Leave was granted to provide a short statement in respect of the matter but not to debate the matter. We know what short statements are for: they are to clarify something, to expand on something that happened during the division, or for some other matter that is unrelated, but they are not a debate on the motion. If the Liberals are now going to use this device to debate the motion, they should reflect very carefully on whether leave will be granted by the government in respect of these matters.