Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you: 'that the question be put'. That then was dispensed with

We then moved back to the substantive issue, the substantive question, which was the motion moved by Senator Wong; and that motion, without any shadow of doubt, was put after midday. It was put after midday and the Dynamic Red discloses that. I think, if you were to ask the Clerk what time the actual, substantive motion was put, you would find that it was put after midday, which meant that there was no capacity for the senator who is the subject of this motion to have actually complied with it. Indeed, Senator Milne in her point of order indicated to you that the motion moved by Senator Wong gave that issue precedence over all other matters—which includes the capacity, if he wanted to or not, of Senator Sinodinos to give a statement. So as a result of Labor's own move, of this motion taking precedence over all matters, it was impossible for Senator Sinodinos to comply. I understand the situation you regretfully find yourself in, Mr President. But the actual motion, the substantive motion, there is no doubt, was put after midday, and that is why the Labor Party are now the architects of their own demise in this matter.