Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

I thank the Senate. During question time in an answer to a question on whaling, the Minister for the Environment and Heritage alleged that I would call on the government to use the same tactics as Japan on Nauru. I have done nothing of the sort. What I did point out was that the minister had failed to get the Nauru vote against commercial whaling while at the same time Australia is pouring millions of dollars into establishing a refugee camp on Nauru. I advocated that the government instead assist Nauru to turn its vote away from commercial whaling towards the conservation of whales—a very good thing to do.

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short response.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We do not want to turn this into a debate.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. A short response is one thing but a personal explanation is another. On a second point of order, however, I am of course only a backbench senator in this place but normally I believe that leave would have been given to Senator Brown to make a personal explanation but it ordinarily would not have been given to Senator Brown between the conclusion of question time and the commencement of taking note. I do not see it as my responsibility in the circumstances that I am not responsible for chamber management and that no-one in government, the opposition or minor parties refused leave to Senator Brown. Nevertheless, there is a precedent that has been established for a long period of time. It goes to the timing of a personal explanation at the conclusion of taking note of answers to questions in question time. My own approach is facilitative in relation to ensuring that senators who wish to give personal explanations are given leave.

The reason I take the point of order is that Senator Campbell now asks for leave also, not to make a personal explanation but to make a statement or a comment, at a time that ordinarily he would not be given leave. It places the chamber in a very difficult circumstance. I do not have responsibilities anymore for chamber management, others do. But that is the circumstance in which we are placed. I would not see the granting of leave on this occasion to Senator Brown or if leave is granted to Senator Campbell as in any sense a precedent. It would be a step backwards and I hope we do not take that backwards step.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As you would know, Senator, and as the Senate knows, a senator may seek leave at any time. If leave is granted, there is not much I can do about it in the chair. But I think everybody heard what you said.

Ian Campbell (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the point of order: I actually agree with Senator Faulkner and will not continue seeking leave.