John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

It is not ‘rubbish’ at all, Senator. In fact, it is perfectly appropriate to take a point of order if you believe the standing orders have been breached at any particular time. To come in a day later—after you have made a ruling, Mr President—I believe is inappropriate. But I would also say, in relation to the specific matter raised in the point of order, that what Senator Macdonald is complaining about, through the device of a point of order, is nothing other than the sort of argy-bargy that occurs all the time during debate in this place, and no-one—none of us—should be too sensitive about it. I heard what Senator Macdonald said, in relation to the matter that you have made a statement on this morning, Mr President: he repeated the word ‘dishonest’ in withdrawing, and then I heard him replace that with the word ‘duplicitous’. I did not take a point of order. No-one on this side—