Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Attorney-General, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:14): Far from doing so, Senator Farrell, what I am doing is following a well-established practice, which was also followed, as we have learned, by my immediate predecessor in this office, Mr Mark Dreyfus, who—if I might read it to you again, Senator, since you were not listening the first time—said that he might seek another opinion on particularly important political issues: Or two. Or three. Perhaps I might feel I needed two to outweigh the Solicitor-General's advice, and I would go and get very senior advice. And I've done that. And I would do it again. Because, despite the fact that I say that the Solicitor-General has got higher status, she or he is still just a barrister. The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, a point of order. Government senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: On my right! Senator Cormann interjecting— Senator Jacinta Collins interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Cormann and Senator Collins! Senator Jacinta Collins interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I mentioned Senator Cormann first, but you were shouting; you couldn't hear me. Senator Cormann interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Cormann! Senator Wong, a point of order. Senator Wong: Again, this goes to direct relevance. I do not understand how quoting Mark Dreyfus can possibly be relevant to the question. Unlike the Attorney, the former Attorney-General Mr Dreyfus never had Solicitors-General like Gavan Griffith come out and say the things about him that this man has said about you. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Wong. You are now debating the point. Order! There is no point of order. The Attorney-General answered the question at the commencement of his answer quite succinctly. Senator BRANDIS: As Mr Dreyfus said: … despite the fact that I say that the Solicitor-General has got higher status, she or he is still just a barrister. And, most difficult legal problems are capable of another outcome. I mean, if I've learnt [anything] in my legal career, I've learnt that. (Time expired)