Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During question time on Thursday, 19 June 2008, I undertook at the request of Senator Bob Brown to consider whether a supplementary question by Senator Fisher was in accordance with standing order 73. The question concerned began with statements and arguments, which is strictly contrary to standing order 73. Regrettably, over a number of years it has become all too common for questions to be prefaced with material of that kind, and I would again urge senators to make the best use of question time by proceeding directly to their questions and not beginning them with statements or arguments.