Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm just not quite clear. I would have thought I'm perfectly within my rights as a senator to say someone has misled the Senate—

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: Absolutely.

and then it is a matter for others to respond. The minister is right: Senator Smith is not here right now. But I know many times I have been completely trashed in the Senate when I've not been here. Sometimes when I'm leaving the building people are getting stuck into me. Sometimes when I'm leaving the chamber someone will get stuck into me. That's part and parcel of debate. I'm just making a point here that, in my view, Senator Smith and Senator McCarthy, who was not fulsome in her response to the Senate about the provisions in the WHO convention, were calling into question the integrity of Liberal and National politicians on this side. I think they have been adequately called out because now the minister is flailing around with points of order which are clearly not being upheld to try, as Senator O'Sullivan said, to interrupt the debate here. I'm happy to move on. I just wanted to make those points and to reply. I do have some other questions for the minister, but I realise Senator Roberts has been waiting patiently, so I'll come back after him.