Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

which can be answered, and is being answered, by the minister without saying, as the case may be, yes or no, by explaining the context of the question and by answering in the context of the question and to the issue that is embodied within the question. What we now hear from the opposition, again through an interjection, is simply: ‘A response, either yes or no.’ The minister, in answering the question, does not have to answer yes or no. The minister can actually explain what the issue is, whilst being directly relevant to the question raised. That is the point. Therefore, there is no point of order by the opposition in raising this issue. They are simply ignoring their own standing orders by taking frivolous points of order in this way.