Senator WHISH-WILSON (Tasmania) (11:39): I seek leave to make a short statement. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Leave of one minute is granted. Senator WHISH-WILSON: I cannot believe that you sat there and laughed throughout that statement about climate change and the importance of climate science. This motion before the Australian Senate recognises the importance— Honourable senators interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! The senator has the right to be heard in silence. Senator Bernardi? Senator Bernardi: Madam Deputy President, I have a point of order. It wasn't Senator McGrath laughing; it was me. I think Senator Whish-Wilson should correct the record. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Bernardi. Senator Whish-Wilson. Senator WHISH-WILSON: What a ship of fools; seriously! This motion before the Australian Senate today recognises the importance of climate science— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Whish-Wilson, please resume your seat. Senator Macdonald? Senator Ian Macdonald: Madam Deputy President, I raise a point of order. The President just recently made it very, very clear that statements given by leave for one minute at this time of day were to state the party or the person's own position but were certainly not to debate it or enter into argument, which this clearly is. He made that ruling just a couple of days ago. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Macdonald. Senator Whish-Wilson, what are you seeking to do? Senator WHISH-WILSON: I am seeking to finish my bloody statement, and I would like the clock reversed so I can start again. They've nothing but— Honourable senators interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Whish-Wilson, resume your seat. I ask that all senators listen to the debate in respectful silence. I remind senators of the President's ruling in relation to one-minute statements. You have 31 seconds, Senator Whish-Wilson. Senator WHISH-WILSON: Could I ask, as a point of order, Deputy President, considering I have been continually interrupted, deliberately interrupted—this government will go to any lengths not to talk about climate science—can I have my time again, please? The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. You have time to finish your remarks. I believe we started on 31 seconds. I would ask once again for senators to listen in respectful silence. Senator Bernardi interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Bernardi. Senator WHISH-WILSON: What a ship of fools! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Please set the clock at 31 seconds. Yes, Minister? Senator Cormann: I raise a point of order, Madam Deputy President. Senator Whish-Wilson is now abusing the privileges and courtesies extended to him when the Senate gave him leave to make a brief statement. He is not making a brief statement; he is giving a spray. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Cormann, I already ruled on that, and I asked Senator Whish-Wilson to be mindful of the President's statement. Senator Whish-Wilson. Senator WHISH-WILSON: What a ship of fools! We will not be stranded on the shoals of history by this ship of fools— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Whish-Wilson, please resume your seat. Minister? Senator Cormann: I raise a point of order, Madam Deputy President. Honourable senators interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Just a moment, Minister; I can't hear. Please resume your seat. Order on my left! Senator O'Sullivan interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan. I ask that you respect that people have the right to be heard in silence. Senator O'Sullivan interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator O'Sullivan, are you dissenting from my request that you listen in respectful silence? Minister. Senator Cormann: Point of order, Madam Deputy President: Senator Whish-Wilson is now defying your ruling. He is acting in breach of the courtesies that have been extended to him by the Senate giving him leave for a brief statement. He is continuing and persisting in his spray, and that is not consistent with the President's ruling. I ask you to draw Senator Whish-Wilson's attention to how he has to conduct himself in making a brief statement. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: As I said in relation to your previous point of order, Minister, I have drawn Senator Whish-Wilson's attention to the President's statement. Senator Whish-Wilson had just restarted before you rose to object, so I really don't know where he was intending to go. Senator Bernardi? Senator Bernardi: Madam Deputy President, I ask you to ask Senator Whish-Wilson to withdraw the bad language he chose, which is unparliamentary, because we have children in the gallery and it sets a very poor example for them in their own lives. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The President has made statements in relation to being given leave to speak, and that is that they should be statements and not debates. However, the President has not sat people down for making other than a statement, and, further to that, leave was granted to Senator Whish-Wilson to make a statement for one minute. Before Senator Whish-Wilson resumes his one minute, I would ask that people listen in respectful silence. Senator Bernardi? Senator Bernardi: Madam Deputy President, I've asked you to ask Senator Whish-Wilson to withdraw. You haven't responded to that point of order. It is a very legitimate one. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I didn't hear anything, but I am more than happy to review the tape and come back. Senator Bernardi, please resume your seat— Senator Bernardi interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Bernardi, I did not hear that. Senator Bernardi: You weren't listening then. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I beg your pardon, Senator Bernardi! Senator Bernardi: You weren't! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: You are now disrespecting the chair. Senator WHISH-WILSON: I have a point of order. Senator Bernardi and Senator Cormann are not only disrespecting you; they are challenging your authority here today. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Whish-Wilson, but I am well able to take care of myself. Please continue your 22 seconds. Senator WHISH-WILSON: After eight spurious points of order, what I was going to say is: I am putting this motion here today for these children here in the gallery, for future generations of Australians, and to recognise our climate scientists and the good work they do and the need to keep funding them. They save lives; they are a big part of my Tasmanian community, and it is about time they were recognised. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The question is that the motion as moved and amended by Senator Whish-Wilson be agreed to.