Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, my question to you is in relation to the operation of the clock during points of order. During my point of order to Senator Arbib I rose to my feet with a little over 20 seconds to go on the clock. The clock continued to count down after you had acknowledged me, while you were speaking and while I was speaking. It was only just before I finished my point of order that the clock stopped, with about three seconds to go. So I wonder whether you could look at the operation—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fifield, I did not notice that, as I was concentrating on other issues. The clock should be stopped when a point of order is taken. That is why, when people rise to their feet to take a point of order, they should clearly note that it is a point of order being taken so that the clock will be stopped. If that did happen, we will see that it does not happen again. Senator Faulkner?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In a way this is related to Senator Fifield’s point of order. In question time today, on at least two occasions—and I did not quite hear whether there was a third—I believe senators intended to take points of order but did not identify the fact that they were taking points of order. What has been happening, with due respect, Mr President, is that the call has been offered to senators in those circumstances. I do not think the call should be provided to a senator who just gets to their feet and starts speaking without identifying the fact that they are taking a point of order. Respectfully, I would suggest—not in the case of Senator Fifield, who certainly did not do that—that it must be extremely difficult for the timekeeper to know what on earth is happening in those circumstances, where a senator is given the call when they do not even identify the fact that they are taking a point of order. I think them being given the call by the President, or by whomever is presiding at the time, is questionable in those circumstances. Anyway, I just respectfully suggest you give consideration to that.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Faulkner, that is one of the reasons I made the comment, and I welcomed the intervention by Senator Fifield, that clearly, when a person stands to take a point of order, they should nominate that it is a point of order. It assists both the timekeeper and me, because sometimes people rise to their feet and it has nothing to do with a point of order whatsoever. Senator Fifield, if that did happen to you today—and I have no doubt that it did, based on what you have said—it should not have happened and we will take steps to ensure that it does not happen again.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the same matter, I acknowledge what Senator Fifield has said to the chamber. In support, I noted that the clock did exactly what Senator Fifield indicated. Also, when I took a point of order—and I take Senator Faulkner’s point—I certainly raised that it was a point of order relating to the sessional matter in the Notice Paper concerning relevance, which I mentioned first up. But also, in my point of order, the clock continued to run and did not stop. I think it is very easy for us to indicate that the timekeeper has not stopped the clock, but it is very difficult in the volatility of question time. I am wondering whether an additional mechanism needs to be introduced to assist in the timekeeping of those matters relating to question time, because it is very difficult to indicate when the clock should stop. When we are talking about a one-minute response, I think it is important to note that every second does count.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think in the main it is pretty well kept under control. But there will be circumstances from time to time where there will be difficulties. I will watch this matter closely over the next week. If there is any further action that needs to be taken then we will look at further action.