Senator MULHOLLAND (Queensland) (15:48): I seek leave to ask a question on behalf of Queenslanders regarding the Albanese government's commitment to net zero. Senator Kovacic interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Kovacic, I've called Senator Mulholland. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I do believe the call is mine to make. I've made it. Senator Kovacic, please resume your seat. Senator Mulholland is seeking leave. Senator Mulholland, leave is denied. A government senator: You don't need to seek leave. Just ask the question. Senator Carol Brown: Just ask the question. Senator MULHOLLAND: My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Order across the chamber. Senator MULHOLLAND: How does the Albanese government's real action on climate change— The PRESIDENT: Senator Mulholland, you were seeking leave. Leave has been denied. Senator Carol Brown: Just ask. Senator MULHOLLAND: I move— An honourable senator: No! You don't have the call. Senator Mulholland interjecting— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Mulholland, please resume your seat. Senator Kovacic, take your seat. I have made my call. It is not up for debate. I have given the call to Senator Mulholland. There's not a debate about this. You can continue standing, but I am not giving you the call. Senator McGrath: She has a point of order. The PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath! I've asked the senator to resume her seat— Senator McGrath interjecting— The PRESIDENT: No! Senator McGrath, resume your seat. Senator Kovacic, if you have a point of order at this point—you have been standing and making a claim that you stood before Senator Mulholland, so I'm not engaging on that point of order. I've made my decision. But, if you have a further point of order, I will entertain that point of order. Senator Kovacic: I'd like to understand on what basis, given what you have just noted in terms of the agreed list for questions, I'm not permitted to ask my question given I'm next on the list? The PRESIDENT: Senator Kovacic, I have a list that has 15 names on it. We've done question 15. That was Senator Dean Smith. Any senator, as you know, can jump at any time. Senator Mulholland jumped, and I gave her the call. Senator Kovacic interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Kovacic, that may be your view. It's not my view. I've given Senator Mulholland the call. She is in the process, I think, of moving a suspension, so please resume your seat. Senator MULHOLLAND: I move: That so much of the order of the Senate agreed to on 29 October concerning the arrangements for question time be suspended as would prevent me asking a question of the Government. Those opposite have been an absolute rabble this week—an absolute rabble. Earlier this week we warned Australians that the 'noalition' was back and it was back again— The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, on a point of order? Senator Ruston: I was just wondering whether you could rule on whether the commentary so far from the senator actually goes directly to the urgency of the reason that she's suspended? The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Ruston. I was going to call the senator to order, but, as we were only a few seconds in, I was going to give her the benefit of the doubt. But I'm well alive to that question. Senator Mulholland, I remind you that you need to talk about the urgency as to why you are seeking a suspension. Senator MULHOLLAND: It is disappointing that the opposition are seeking to prevent me, an elected senator for the great state of Queensland, to get up in this place. They didn't want to hear from my colleague Senator Smith about women's— Senator Kovacic: On a point of order, I don't believe that Senator Mulholland actually moved her suspension. The PRESIDENT: She did, Senator Kovacic. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! And that is exactly why I've asked for silence. Senator MULHOLLAND: Earlier this week we warned Australians that the 'noalition' was back. The coalition has been voting with the Greens all week in this place. They were so far off the reservation—the Greens—they were over here before, caucusing with the coalition. The PRESIDENT: Senator Mulholland, I will again remind you that you need to be informing the chamber as to why this matter is so urgent that you are seeking to suspend standing orders. Senator MULHOLLAND: We saw on Sunday my good colleague Senator Canavan on Insiders, breaking from his usual schedule of back-to-back interviews on Sky News to go to Insiders to spread misinformation to the people of Queensland— The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, on a point of order? Senator Ruston: On the matter that's currently before the chair, in terms of the urgency of the suspension, I do not believe that the senator is actually respecting your ruling and that is that she needs to tell us why this matter is so important. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! We have so many people in here with so many opinions. Senator Mulholland, I remind you once again that you need to inform the chamber as to why this matter is urgent. Senator MULHOLLAND: As I said, the urgency is complete misinformation being spread into Queensland and into Australia over the weekend by those opposite. I'm surprised they don't want to hear it. They've never met a net zero question or motion they don't like to hear about, so I'm surprised they don't want to hear about this one. I've spent a lot of time in regional Queensland recently meeting with farmers and meeting with industry, and they want a consistent position from this opposition on net zero. Canefarmers and sugar millers in Mackay have been part of the net zero transition. The PRESIDENT: Senator Mulholland, I need to remind you again that you need to inform the chamber as to why your matter is urgent and why you are seeking to suspend standing orders. Senator MULHOLLAND: It is urgent that we protect Queensland jobs in industry. They rely on this government to correct the record that was being spread over the weekend—the misinformation about the modelling that is being completely made up over there. I've spent time with canegrowers in Mackay. I've spent time with millers. These are people who are not just worried about net zero; they've been leading the pathway. They're not worried about it. They've been leading the pathway on net zero for decades. They have been turning cane biomass into ethanol for years. The PRESIDENT: Senator Mulholland, I am really struggling to see what the urgency of your suspension is. You need to focus on why you are seeking to suspend standing orders. Senator McKenzie: You've had so many helps here. The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, I might be able to hear a little clearer if you are quiet. Senator MULHOLLAND: I understand that those opposite might be uncomfortable with a woman asking a question in this place. They seem to be so upset about that today. I know they want to silence me on this matter. They're trying to silence their own colleagues on this matter. Mr Kennedy, the member for Cook, said: 'I support net zero as a target, frankly. It's an admirable target.' Senator Hume, up the back there—I can see you up the back there—you noted, 'The electorate has told us time and time again— The PRESIDENT: Senator Mulholland, I have now lost count of the times that I have directed you to inform the Senate— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: When the frontbench on my left has quite finished, you need to inform the Senate as to why your matter is urgent and you are seeking to suspend standing orders. It's not about farmers in your state, Senator Mulholland. It is about the matters— Senator Mulholland interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Mulholland, you are not in a debate with me. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my left! The behaviour in this place is absolutely disgraceful and disrespectful. Order! Senator Mulholland, please continue. Senator MULHOLLAND: Farmers and industry in my state have a right to know. I have a right to ask this question on behalf of them. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Perhaps you could get your colleagues to be quiet, Senator McKenzie. They haven't noticed that you are standing on a point of order. Senator McKenzie: On a point of order, the senator has repeatedly ignored your request to come to the urgency of her motion that she's trying to debate, and I would ask that you rule because this is getting farcical, three minutes in to her contribution. The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, what is also farcical in this place is my many, many, many attempts since 2 pm to get silence in this place. If it's farcical and people are disrespecting my authority, I would ask senators to reflect on their own behaviour. I was prepared to hear Senator Mulholland finish her sentence. I have reminded her that she needs to inform the chamber as to what is so urgent about her matter that it requires the standing orders to be abandoned. Senator MULHOLLAND: It is important and urgent that the people of Queensland hear from the minister about what the government's plan for net zero is and to go to the fact that non-executive members in this place are being barred from asking urgent questions— The PRESIDENT: Senator Ayres? Senator Ayres: It's a little bit before four o'clock. The penny might be dropping over there and maybe that's the reason for the behaviour. The PRESIDENT: Senator Ayres, you do need to get to the point of order. We're not making statements. Senator Ayres: I'd ask you to draw them again. I know you've been trying. I know this is distressing for them. But I'd ask you to ask them to settle down a little bit. The PRESIDENT: Once again, I will remind the chamber to come to order. Senator MULHOLLAND: I believe it is urgent and important that the people of Queensland hear this information from the minister, and I ask that the question be heard by the Senate. The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, is this on the suspension?