Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

Order! I'm happy to rule. I've taken submissions. I'm not complaining about the opposition objecting to the nature of a question, Senator Wong. I've allowed the opposition to restate and to emphasise the part of the question and to take points of order. I was just pointing out to Senator Keneally that I was corrected by the clerk. I wasn't aware that you couldn't interrupt to seek leave. That was something I learnt. When it comes to the point of order, I can only deal with questions the way that they are asked. I submit, Senator Wong, that you are asking me to go to the content of a minister's answer and how they might answer a question rather than whether they are directly relevant. When a question is 'why is the government'—if I read it correctly—'taking away jobs from Australians in favour of someone else' the minister is entitled to say otherwise, as long as it's not a general commentary on unemployment or employment. I think when the minister was talking about that bit, when the point of order was raised, that constitutes direct relevance. There is an opportunity to debate the content and answers after question time and whether or not the chamber thinks the content of those answers is sufficient or satisfactory. Senator Ruston.