Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (16:07): I welcome the opportunity to support the suspension that's been moved by Senator Mulholland and argued for very strongly. It is a legitimate point that both Senator Smith and Senator Mulholland raised, which is the right, when representing their states—the good states of South Australia and Queensland—in this place, that they be afforded the same rights as any other member of this place to ask a question. Yesterday— Senator Paterson interjecting— Senator McKenzie interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Once again on my left—I ensured that your leader was heard in silence, and that respect will now go to Minister Gallagher. Minister Gallagher, please continue. Senator GALLAGHER: To continue there: the fact is that we have senators here who are being restricted, by a motion of this place, in their ability to ask questions—not only today but in an ongoing sense—including restricting Mondays to just two questions for government senators. So for everyone who turns up to work here and works hard here—not allowed anything more than two questions on a Monday and three on any other sitting day whilst everyone else is afforded the opportunity to ask a question. So we raise a legitimate point—raised by Senator Mulholland and Senator Smith. You've had your 15 questions. We're moving into the next stage. They have every right to stand up and seek leave, just as you have a right to deny it, as you will continue to do, it seems, this afternoon. But we have a right for our senators to ask questions as well, and we will continue to argue for that through question time. We did not agree to and did not support the motion yesterday. Some come in here and talk about convention. Well, convention was ripped up yesterday. That's what happened. This chamber relies on a level of cooperation because it is a minority chamber. No-one has the numbers. It relies on cooperation; for a large part it does. Most people don't see those levels of cooperation, because it is done collegiately, just as it is done in committee systems. But yesterday that changed. And, of course, we have every right to defend our members, members of the government, and their right to ask questions through question time, which is what they're seeking to do. Moving a suspension, if that's the only way that that will be allowed— The PRESIDENT: Minister Ruston? Senator Ruston: Maybe you could draw the minister's attention to explain why it's so urgent. The PRESIDENT: The minister is explaining why it's urgent, Senator Ruston. Minister Gallagher, please continue. Senator GALLAGHER: Senator Ruston, how embarrassing. I had just literally said the word 'suspension' when you jumped to your feet and said that I wasn't being relevant. I literally said that the reason why— The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, is this a point of order? Senator Ruston: I wasn't talking about the speech; I was asking you why it was so urgent. The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, we're not in the committee stage debating across the chamber, although, quite frankly, it feels a bit like that. Minister Gallagher, please continue. Senator GALLAGHER: Yes. I think Senator Cash might have turned off the livestream by now. But—oh, God! What have they done? What have they done? Senator Scarr interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Scarr, I'm sure you're aware that your voice is very, very loud. I would ask that you (1) not interject, but, if you are going to ignore my order, then do it quietly. Senator GALLAGHER: We did not support the motion yesterday. We didn't support the motion because, for as long as I can recall—and we can go back and check—the convention has been that the roster for question time is presented by the government but agreed across the parties, and yesterday that changed. Senator Smith wanted to ask a question on women's health—denied by this chamber. Senator Mulholland wants to ask a question about net zero—denied by this chamber. So we can seek leave and support our members and their right to ask questions, and we will make you deny them leave. Everyone will watch you—this shambles of an opposition that can't agree on how to handle a bill without requesting it to be split; everyone will watch you and see the shambles that you are and the way that you treat this chamber. That's what they'll see. That is the lesson for this week. We will support the rights of our team to ask the important questions that the people of Australia care about—not waste two questions about questions about themselves, which is how we kicked off this question time today. Questions about the economy, questions about women's health, questions about net zero, questions about industry—all across the board—questions about family and domestic violence and questions about the racial discrimination act. That's what this government does. It focuses on the issues that matter to the Australian people, while those opposite focus on themselves, fight themselves—disunity, division—the shambles that they are. We will ensure that our elected representatives get treated with the respect that they deserve, the respect that everyone else in this chamber expects, and they have their right to ask questions in this chamber. That is what we will do, and we will continue to do it.