Senator CONROY (Victoria—Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (16:19): I rise in support of this motion. It is quite clear that there is an orchestrated campaign by the government senators to deny senators on other benches—crossbenchers and Labor senators—an ability to ask questions. Let us be very clear about this: Senate estimates is for the opposition and the minor parties to question the government, not for you to come into the chamber and filibuster. We had the outrageous breach of Senate standing orders recently where a Liberal chair decided, 'We'll close the Senate estimates at 10.30,' and put a motion through a legislation committee to shut down an estimates committee hearing. That conduct is an outrage, and it is clear that it is orchestrated across the government. Each and every one of their chairs has attempted to say, 'We're entitled to 50 per cent'— Senator Back: Mr Deputy President, I rise on a point of order. I challenge Senator Conroy— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: No, that is no point of order. Senator Back: as, in my case, as a chairman of a committee— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Back, you are debating the matter. That is not a point of order. Senator Conroy, you have the call. Senator CONROY: He is suggesting he is not part of this. I accept your word, Senator. But it is quite clear that, if you were to come to a Senate committee hearing chaired by Senator Williams or Senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells or Senator Macdonald, you would see quite a malicious attempt to gag senators. Senator Eggleston even tried it on as well, but, to his credit, Senator Fawcett said, 'No, Senate estimates is for the opposition.' So he could not even muster his own bench—he could not even muster his own supporters. I promised the manager I would be short. But let us be clear: it is an orchestrated campaign that has taken place from those on that side. If you refuse to be part of it, I congratulate you, Senator Back, but your other chairs are all going along with it. It is opposition and minor-party time in Senate estimates. We will be using the spillover days, and we will not be agreeing to the times that are being forced upon us by majority diktat of the government in the future. The PRESIDENT: The question is the motion moved by Senator Moore to suspend standing orders be agreed to.