Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

It is very rare that I quote the standing orders and I should do it more often. And I might take some cues from Senator O'Sullivan, who seems to know more about them in a couple of months than I have in six years. But if I could draw the Attorney's attention to standing order 166, under the heading 'Other methods of tabling documents,' which states:

1.   Other documents may be presented pursuant to statute, by the President, or by a minister.

Specific reference is made to the fact that a minister can provide:

to the President, or, if the President is unable to act, to the Deputy President, or, if the Deputy President is unavailable, to any one of the Temporary Chairmen of Committees, a document which is to be laid before the Senate …

It seems to me that standing order 166 may assist the Attorney in terms of tabling a document. As I understand it, it can be done pretty much automatically by the minister and that he is entitled to do so. I may have misunderstood standing order 166 but, on the face of it, that is what it says. That may give the Attorney comfort in order to table these documents sooner rather than later which may, in turn, assist the debate.