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

I have a new point of order. Senator Furner, when you ruled, as you did a moment ago, that I should sit down, I had not finished addressing the point of order that I was raising. In fact, I had not even made my point of order. You sat me down without ruling the point of order not to be a valid point of order, and therefore you prevented me from exercising my rights as a senator to make a point of order and, further, you did not discharge your obligation as the presiding officer to deliberate on the point of order. Senator Furner, I have no objection—no senator could have any objection—to the presiding officer ruling the point of order out of order, but you did not do that. First of all, you did not hear the point of order; secondly, you did not deliberate on the point of order; and, thirdly, you did not rule the point of order out of order.