Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

I'll make an observation now. My opinion is well-known on the conduct of this section and its impact on the dignity of the chamber. There are no rules about granting leave. Any senator has the discretion to deny leave. It has nothing to do with the rules of the Senate. If informal understandings are reached outside of here, through cross-whips meetings and other meetings, they are for individual senators to follow or not follow.

On this point I make the observation that I think the difference has arisen through a lack of understanding about what one-minute statements are for. Some people are of the view that they are for explaining a position and other people are of the view that they are effectively for a bit more aggressive debating of a position—it being a constrained debate as opposed to an explanation. I appreciate that that is subtle. My impression from this position is that there needs to be a discussion at the cross-whips meeting about the nature of the one-minute statements, and that will avoid the misunderstandings that we are having now and the impression of some that the rules are being applied unfairly. That is my observation. If one looks at the nature of the contributions, some get into explaining a position and some then get into criticising other parties for their position. I do think that is a subtle difference that the whips can sort out at other meetings, and then we'll avoid this happening again and again.

I'm going to call Senator Faruqi, who did request leave to make a short statement, and I'm going to ask again whether leave is granted for her to make a short statement. Then I will come to Senator Hanson. Is leave granted for Senator Faruqi to make a short statement? Leave is granted for one minute.