Senator WATERS (Queensland) (14:35): Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. The government is referring to 30-year-old newspaper articles rather than the Academy of Science. That kind of is the point. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my right. Senator Bernardi. Senator Jacinta Collins: He is ignoring you, Mr President! The PRESIDENT: He would not be the first senator to ignore me, Senator Collins! Senator Waters has the call. Senator WATERS: I refer to the announcement today from investment bank Citi that they will not be financing the Abbot Point coal port expansion in the Great Barrier Reef. In this they join Deutsche Bank, HSBC— Senator Ian Macdonald: It is nowhere near the Great Barrier Reef. Tell the truth— The PRESIDENT: Senator Macdonald— Senator WATERS: Credit Agricole, Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland. Given the risks to the reef and the rest of it becoming a stranded asset, will you rule out putting taxpayers money into the Abbot Point coal port expansion? Senator CORMANN: The first point I would make is that I am not responsible for the decisions that are made by individual investment banks when it comes to the investments they may or may not choose to pursue. That is a matter for them. What I can say is that we can actually walk and chew gum at the same time. We can pursue economic growth in a way that is environmentally responsible. Minister Hunt has worked very hard to ensure that we have strong environmental protections at that same time as pursuing a very important economic growth opportunity for Australia. For Queensland and for Australia it is an opportunity of national significance. The previous government was looking at providing approvals there. It is fair to say that Minister Hunt has done an outstanding job in appropriately balancing environmental considerations with the need to pursue— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Waters: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. I asked a specific question—will the government finance the Abbot Point expansion given that the investment banks are abandoning it? I have not had a response and there are only four seconds to go. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Waters. There was a little bit more to your question than that. Minister, you have four seconds remaining to answer the question. Senator CORMANN: Thank you, Mr President. I believe I was directly relevant to the question. If there is anything that Minister Hunt wishes to add to the answer, I will ask him— (Time expired)