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

In relation to this, Chair, there does appear to have been a reflection upon the chair. On that basis, I would ask Senator Brown to respect the chair and withdraw those comments. I do understand that there has been a significant input from those opposite which has, I suspect, caused this circumstance to arise. It is quite unseemly that they have not remained quiet and they have continued to be disorderly whilst you are contributing to this debate. I understand that that has exacerbated the circumstances. What we should not do at this point is add to their ill feelings about how they have behaved during your contribution. The chair has indicated that he will continue to provide the appropriate level of protection—in this instance, a high level of protection—to ensure that you can be heard in silence during your contribution. On that basis, we need, in my view, to get back to the debate proper and allow people to be heard in silence, and everyone should. I know there have been, up to this point, interjections from those opposite—not many at the moment from those on this side. We have been listening to your contribution in silence as the standing orders require. On all of that, I think common sense should prevail and we should be able to return to the debate, but I do accept the position that you have been goaded into by those opposite. I think we should all stand above that in this instance and respect the chair, as we should in these debates, and move on.