Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

I take that point, Senator Wong, and I ruled on that point earlier. But, as I've previously ruled too, when the minister made a comment about the opposition at that point, while answering a question about his own comments that contains politically charged phrases—I think an answer of that nature is not out of order. I have consistently ruled very tightly when questions are tight, factual questions, as I did earlier this week. This was not one of those, and the minister is entitled to defend his own record and statements in a manner he sees fit when they're contained in the question.