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

Mr President, a point of order relating to the standing order requiring the minister to be directly relevant in his answer: the very clear question that the minister has not addressed well into his answer to the supplementary question is whether he will confirm that only 500 of Australia’s secondary schools will receive a new science and language lab under the package and, secondly, whether these facilities, like those for the primary schools, will be delivered as promised and on budget. Without taking up Senator Faulkner’s earlier comments in relation to points of order, there was no commentary or comment from Senator Mason, who asked perfectly straightforward supplementary questions in his second supplementary, and instead we have from Senator Carr an absolute tirade about what may or may not happen to votes on the package. Clearly that has nothing to do with the opposition’s right to ask the minister straightforward questions about this package.