Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you. The point of order goes to whether the question is in order given where the bill is. I have not intervened to date because I understand that the policy and politics of the issue is in the matter that the Senate has historically questioned and continues to question, even when legislation is before the Senate, notwithstanding the standing orders. I may have misheard Senator Henderson, but I thought she directly went to the legislation, in which case I would assert it is out of order in the current terms. But the way I would deal with it—because I understand the issue, Senator Birmingham—is that, if that is the case, I would invite her to rephrase.