Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Attorney-General, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (12:58): I thank honourable senators for their contribution to the debate. Two things have emerged from this debate very clearly. The first is that, as no senator has actually spoken against the motion, it is plain that it is the unanimous view of the Senate that the government is taking the right course in moving this referral motion under section 376 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act. There has been a lot of innuendo and there has been a lot of rhetoric and bombast from people like Senator Carr and Senator Whish-Wilson, but nobody has actually criticised the course the government is taking. The other thing that emerges very plainly from this debate is the very high personal regard in which our former colleague Stephen Parry is held by all, because all who have risen in this debate to criticise him have at least had the decency and good grace to say words to the effect that he was a very good President of this Senate and a very good man, although there has been some criticism of the way in which he chose to deal with a situation with which he was confronted. As a friend of Stephen Parry's who passionately believes him to be a good, honourable and decent man who graced the office of President splendidly, let me merely say that those who wish to criticise how Senator Parry may have acted under pressure might do well to remember the advice of our Lord in John 8:7 and reflect upon the perfection or otherwise of their own conduct in difficult circumstances. Lastly, because I don't want to delay the chamber, let me deal with an issue that only Senator Hinch has raised. As I said earlier, the first I knew of these matters was when Senator Parry rang me on Monday, 30 October. I've checked my mobile phone log: it records an incoming call from him at 9.11 am, Queensland time. Contrary to what Senator Hinch has said, Senator Parry didn't tell me that he had discovered that he was a dual citizen. What Senator Parry told me was words to the effect that, having studied the High Court's decision, he thought he might have a problem and that he had taken urgent steps to clarify the position with the British Home Office, but he had concerns. That's what he told me. As soon as that conversation was finished, I immediately rang my chief of staff, at 9.22 am Queensland time, and related to him what Senator Parry had said to me—namely, that he thought he might have a problem but he was checking to see what the position was and seeking urgent advice from the UK authorities. I asked my chief of staff to convey that to the Prime Minister's office, which he tells me he immediately did. I think—don't hold me to this—the Prime Minister was actually in the air at the time on the way to his visit to commemorate the centenary of the Light Horse charge at Beersheba. Senator Hinch, you seem to misapprehend, if I may say so with respect. I'm not saying Senator Parry told me that he had concluded that he was a dual citizen. He told me that he had appreciated, having read the High Court's decision, that he may have a problem, and that is the information I caused to be conveyed immediately to the Prime Minister's office. I commend the motion to the Senate. Question agreed to.