Without Senator Thorpe present, Sue Lines delivered her verdict at the start of question time on Wednesday on the late evening "unruly" events and reminded senators of standard chamber rules and practices.

It comes after outbursts from the Victorian senator relating to confusion over the time given for Senate adjournment speeches and fears that she and other waiting senators had been "done over".

She also accused the acting Senate president Louise Pratt of being "asleep" or not paying attention in the chair, a claim rejected by the senator and the manager of government business Katy Gallagher.

A livid Senator Thorpe was frustrated trying to deliver a speech over the death in custody of her first cousin Josh Kerr and time was given on Wednesday afternoon to do it.

Senator Lines said there were no excuses.

"Some of the conduct during the adjournment debate last night was appalling," she told Parliament.

"It is never in order to yell at the chair or yell over the chair when the chair is attempting to maintain order.

"It is never in order to yell at other senators, and it is never in order to yell over the top of another senator who has the call senators will not receive the call or they persist in disorderly conduct."

The adjournment or closing speeches, on any subject, take place just before the chamber adjourns for the evening. Before the speeches, the government was jubilant as it had passed, with Coalition support, its stage three tax cuts amendments.

Around 8.40pm, there was shouting, defying orders, and confusion over the length of time given to speeches. Some senators indicated they had waited for over an hour in line.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Senator Thorpe shouted at one stage. Senator Pratt responded: "Senator Thorpe, I've been listening intently to the speeches before me." And then Senator Thorpe burst with, "No, you have not!"

It got to a point where Senator Lines was called into the chamber, and under excessive shouting from Senator Thorpe, it was ruled that she "no longer be heard".

Despite being told to sit down so Labor senator Helen Polley could finish her speech, Senator Thorpe continued to shout out the speech she had planned to give about her cousin, a Yorta Yorta and Gunaikurnai man.

She was sharing her aunt's description of Mr Kerr's last words to her, "Yeah, Mum. I'll come home," when she was cut off with a ruling that the Senate be adjourned.

Senator Lines indicated that the confused senators, which included at least two Liberal senators, had their chance to sort out when they were going to speak.

"None of the senators listed to give five-minute speeches were in the chamber when the debate commenced at 7.30," she said. "The acting deputy president Senator [James] McGrath, quite correctly, went to the list for 10-minute speeches."

Senator Thorpe pressed on a day later, delivering the speech she intended the night before without incident.

She took aim at successive governments for not implementing all recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

"Not one person has ever been held responsible or accountable for one black death in custody in this country. Not one person. When does it end?" she told the Senate.

"97 per cent of us are wiped out. What are ya, trying to wipe the rest of us out?"