Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Will the minister explain to the Senate the principle of ministerial responsibility?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not going to call the minister until I can hear her. Order on my left!

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

Senator Macdonald! Order! Senator Cash.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Farrell, for the question. Again, this was something that was canvassed extensively at the estimates hearing. Although I have to say those on the other side don't like my answers, allegations and words that I misled the Senate are, quite frankly, just untrue. As I have always said, the answers that I gave were based on the knowledge at the time—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cash! Senator Wong, on a point of order?

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

'Methinks she doth protest too much' is what springs to mind! The point of order is—

Senator Brandis interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my right!

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

Thank you, George, it's nice to hear you say something nice to me for a change! My point of order is direct relevance. Whilst I know the minister likes to run through her justification, the point of order is that the question was a very simple one: will the minister explain to the Senate the principle of ministerial responsibility?

Cory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So it's on relevance!

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

I said it was on direct relevance, if you'd had the courtesy to listen to me, Senator Bernardi.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Macdonald, on the point of order?

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can't really comment on the point of order because I could not hear the minister's answer. I would ask you to ask those opposite to stop shouting and screeching and yelling so at least someone who sits close to the minister, like me, can hear her.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ministers are allocated two minutes to answer the primary question. The minister has been going for 25 seconds. I am listening to the minister's answer. I believe it's within scope, but I note the minister has more than 1½ minutes remaining to answer the question. I would ask senators to also—props are inappropriate. I would ask senators to also allow ministers—

Senator Sterle interjecting—

Bits of paper with numbers drawn on them held up are props, yes. I wasn't asking them to talk to the hand! I will ask senators to keep in mind Senator Macdonald's request, because I am certain that, if he cannot hear her sitting a seat away, the other end of the chamber will not be able to either.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the elements of ministerial responsibility is ensuring that, when you find out that an answer that you've given based on the knowledge you had is incorrect, you correct the record, which is exactly what I did.

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a supplementary question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do have a supplementary question. Does the minister accept that the principle of ministerial responsibility extends to the actions of ministerial staff as reiterated in the 2003 report by the Finance and Public Administration References Committee which states:

Responsibility for the actions of ministerial staff rests always with their minister, and the Committee reaffirms this principle.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I said, I took responsibility when it was brought to my attention that the information I had given was not correct. I corrected the record at the earliest opportunity and my staff member resigned, just as former Prime Minister Gillard's staff member resigned when they incited what was referred to at the time as a race riot when she was Prime Minister.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President, Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong and Senator Cameron!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I recall rightly, those on the other side, in particular Senator Wong, were very vocal in supporting former Prime Minister Gillard—

The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Cash, Senator Williams is on his feet.

Senator Williams: Mr President, I ask you to draw attention to standing order 197. If they do not pay any attention to standing order 197, introduce standing order 203 to those who persistently are yelling across the chamber and pay no attention to you whatsoever.

Honourable senators interjecting

The PRESIDENT: When there is noise on my left and we don't progress question time, it means we will get to fewer questions. I will also call for order on my right, because if there are complaints that people can't hear it applies regardless of what side one is sitting on.

Senator CASH: As I was saying about former Prime Minister Gillard: when her staffer incited a race riot those on the other side were incredibly vocal in backing former Prime Minister Gillard every step of the way. Even though those on the other side do not like my answers, it does not change the fact that at the earliest opportunity, I went to the Senate committee and advised them of what had occurred.