Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me making a statement.

Mr President, I do that because what we have now before the Senate is a request, which you have granted, from Senator Abetz via Senator Kroger—which of course mentions Senator Milne on the way—to have me referred to the Committee of Privileges regarding a donation which came to the Australian Greens, and which I have stated on the public record was in no way an influence on me or a donation to me as a person. And then consequent to that were matters raised regarding the Triabunna woodchip mill sale five months ago.

The President has ruled that the donation is a matter which should be examined by the Committee of Privileges and that a matter having been raised five months ago makes it a further matter that should be examined by the Committee of Privileges. However, in the case of Senator Boswell, a donation directly to him, on the record, which was 12 months ago, does not receive the same ruling from the President. Here we have a President who is making contradictory rulings when it comes to a National Party senator as against a Greens senator. What we have in the President's ruling—