Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, Vice-President of the Executive Council, Minister for Arts and Attorney-General) (14:12): Mr Heydon was selected by the government on my recommendation because I was looking for somebody with a reputation so stainless, so perfect that nobody could possibly criticise him without making themselves a fool, and you have fallen ride into the trap, Senator Conroy. Anybody who inquired into corruption in the trade union movement was bound to have mire and dirt and sleaze thrown at them by the protectors of the organised criminals in the trade union movement on the opposition benches. Senator Moore: Mr President, I rise on a point of order: direct relevance. I would ask you to draw the attention of the attorney to the specific questions asked about the shortlist and criteria. The attorney has talked about the fact that it was his decision and that is fine, but I would like to see whether you could draw to his attention those particular points in the questions. The PRESIDENT: The Attorney-General has been directly relevant in relation to portions of the question. The Attorney-General has 18 seconds in which to complete his answer. Senator BRANDIS: So what the government was looking for was the best black-letter lawyer in the country with a reputation for personal integrity and impartiality so utterly stainless that nobody who hoped to be taken seriously would dare to criticise him. (Time expired)