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

Mr Acting Deputy President, on the point of order: I listened very carefully to Senator Brandis’s erudite point of order but unfortunately I believe that there is no point of order. It would have had a great deal more credibility if he had taken a similar point of order while Senator Williams was raging against the New South Wales Labor Party in his speech. You have got to be consistent in these things, just a bit of give and take. As I say, there would be a great deal more credibility about this point of order if other speakers in the debate had not strayed into these sorts of areas. From my own point of view, I am listening very closely to what Senator Hutchins is saying. I must say I am finding it extremely interesting—just as I found Senator Williams’s comments very interesting as well. So I am asking for consistency in rulings from the chair in this regard, and I look forward to your ruling, Mr Acting Deputy President.