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

President, on the point of order: indeed, I took a similar point of order on 12 September, when government senators had asked then Minister Watt, who was acting as the minister representing the minister for regional development, specific questions about tax cuts and energy relief—matters not at all relevant to his portfolio, but the questions were framed in their impact on regional Australians and regional development. This question was very clearly framed in relation to regional Australia and regional development, and I'd invite you to uphold the words that you said on 12 September and that you advise the chamber that, as the minister repping regional development, he can answer in that capacity the questions that were asked.