Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

A point of order, President. Can I seek some clarity as to why we aren't resuming the debate to take note of questions from question time. Standing order 72 provides for 30 minutes of debate following questions without notice, for a motion to take note. I know we have just dealt with the motion that provided for Senator Watt to attend at 3.30. That motion indicated that Senator Watt's attendance and a subsequent take note debate shall have precedence over other business until determined, but it did not extinguish any other business. President, I would have interpreted that motion to provide for an interruption to the take note of questions and not for an early closure of that debate.