Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Parry's ruling, to paraphrase it, was that quotation of unparliamentary language does not make it parliamentary. That was about a particularly offensive term, if I recall correctly. Context does matter. I don't think this word has been ruled unparliamentary before. I will check that. If it has, I'll come back to the chamber. As I've said, my view is that, if a word has been used and other presidents have allowed it, so will I. If the chamber wants to express its view that it's unparliamentary, I'll enforce it. But I'm not going to make a unilateral ruling on a word that has been used. Can I repeat my plea: this problem doesn't arise if senators don't use the language. An allusion can be made to language without necessarily quoting it and then we won't have this distraction. I'll come to Senator McKenzie on the answer to the final supplementary question.