George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, a point of order directed to relevance: the minister has three seconds to go in his answer. In response to the point of order taken in relation to the last opposition question, when the point was that the minister was asked for a number, you upheld Senator Conroy’s argument that the minister still had some time to go. It is fair enough that a minister can address a question generally, it is fair enough that there can be a degree of preamble, but when the sessional order requires direct relevance and the question asks for a number it cannot be right, Mr President, that at the very end of the answer the minister still has not approached the question. It is not enough for you to say, with respect, Mr President, ‘He still has some time left.’ He has hardly any time left and he has not addressed the question yet.