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

I have a point of order on two matters, Madam President. One is perhaps to try to help the Senate. My understanding is that convention has been that where an amendment is moved a senator is granted leave to make a short, one-minute statement in relation to the amendment. So I'd encourage the government to reconsider that.

In relation to the motion Senator McGrath just moved, he had sought leave to make a one-minute statement. Being denied that, and on the basis of that, he used contingent notice standing in my name to suspend standing orders so as to enable him to make the one-minute statement.