Senator KENEALLY (New South Wales—Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (12:19): Thank you, government. Thank you, Mr President. I would like to ask Senator Patrick to reflect on the contribution he just made in this place, because what he has done is substitute himself as judge and jury. He has said that his judgement is superior to that of the whole Senate. It is actually the job of this Senate to make these types of determinations. Senator Patrick doesn't just get to stand up here and say he's seen a letter and, therefore, it is all okay and, 'Just trust us.' This Senate should have the opportunity to move these very serious allegations of corrupt activity by a minister of the Crown to an inquiry. This is a side of parliament that fails— Senator Cormann: Point of order: Senator Keneally's actually making a brief statement to the wrong motion. What the government has— Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Cormann: It is a point of order. You've got to be relevant to what is before the chair, and my point is that what is before the chair is the government resisting this being dealt with— The PRESIDENT: Can I ask both Senator Cormann and Senator Wong to resume their seats. Once leave is granted to make a statement, the tests of relevance to a motion do not apply. Senator Keneally, having already been granted leave, has 1 minute and 14 seconds remaining. Senator KENEALLY: What we have is an allegation of corrupt conduct by a minister of the Crown in a government that is refusing to bring in a federal national integrity commission, in a government that sometimes sits on the other side and yells out allegations about us over here but goes as weak as water when it comes to putting evidence before an inquiry that everything is tickety-boo over there. Well, if everything is tickety-boo over there, we wouldn't be hearing the weasel words of 'I am advised'. We would be hearing a robust defence. As for Senator Patrick, who has substituted his judgement—he has seen a letter. Well, who's the letter from? Is it from somebody related to Minister Taylor? Is it from somebody— Senator Wong: Can we all see it? Senator KENEALLY: Can we all see it? Here's a crazy idea, Senator Patrick: if we had an inquiry, these things could be put out in an evidentiary way and the inquiry could come to a considered position. These are serious allegations. They should not be dealt with in such a facile manner by Senator Patrick. They should go before an inquiry. It is unbelievable that the crossbench are going to play a protection racket—that Centre Alliance are going to play a protection racket—for this government. The PRESIDENT: There being no further people seeking leave, I will put the motion. Senator Wong?