Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: the issue that is currently before you and which we are debating in the Senate is about whether or not it is permissible to ask a question that encompasses a minister in their portfolio capacity and also in their representative capacity. Minister Carr did not at the commencement of his answer take any point of order in relation to the relevance of the question and how he would deal with it in either capacity. The question as framed and the supplementaries are directly relevant to the capacities in which he chose to commence his answer, and he ought to be asked to complete it.