Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Once again, I acknowledge Senator Brown’s proper interest in the chamber engaging daily in question time, but the events that have struck Australia this week are completely unprecedented. I think the parliament should act in accordance with and in acknowledgement of the unprecedented nature of the events surrounding us. For reasons that do not need to be particularly articulated, it is appropriate—as the government has suggested—that in recognition of these circumstances question time itself should be suspended this week. We should proceed with other business. We have plenty of other business before us and we can usefully exploit the time made available by the suspension of question time. I think it is more than appropriate that for this week—that is, for today and tomorrow—there be no question time, so we are in support of the government’s motion.