Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I make a belated statement about ministerial arrangements. I thank the Senate, and I also thank Senator Wong for reminding me, that Senator Cash, the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, will be absent from question time today. I apologise for not informing the Senate about that previously. It was my oversight and I take responsibility for that. I would invite all senators that may have had questions to Senator Cash in her portfolio or representative portfolios to direct them to me, but I confess that I might have to take some of them on notice.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank the Leader of the Government in the Senate for his acknowledgement of the error. I appreciate that. Obviously, there was no indication to party leaders or to the Senate prior to the chamber commencing, and I would make the point that I have requested a somewhat earlier indication of ministers' abstinences on a previous occasion. I would appreciate it—and I am sure that other senators would as well, given the preparation for question time—if that could occur. Thank you.