Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

On the point of order in this regard, the opposition is now seeking to dictate the terms in which a minister answers the question. You did bring the minister's attention to the question previously. The minister has been directly addressing issues in relation to mandates as they apply to the vaccination rollout. The minister has clearly been addressing those issues in relation to mandates and the voluntary application of the vaccine rollout. That is directly relevant to the question. The fact that the opposition may be seeking a 'yes' or 'no' type answer is not, and indeed many presidents have ruled very clearly, within the power of the President—to define how a minister answers the question. The answer needs to be directly relevant to the question, and Senator Colbeck, by addressing issues around vaccine mandates, is clearly being directly relevant.