Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance) (14:48): I thank Senator Urquhart for this question. What senators on this side of the chamber keep raising with me is the unfairness of the debt and deficit legacy that Labor left behind. What people on the coalition side of the parliament keep raising with me is the unfairness of a weakening economy, rising unemployment, a bad and deteriorating budget position, a government living beyond its means, a government legacy left behind by Labor where we are living at the expense of our children and grandchildren. All of us on the coalition side of the parliament are working very hard to strengthen the economy, to create more jobs and to help families, for example, by getting rid of the carbon tax—the disastrous Labor-Green carbon tax. All of us on this side of the chamber are focused on repairing the budget mess that Labor left behind. The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Moore on a point of order? Senator Moore: My point of order is on direct relevance. It was a very simple question. It was about whether the minister has received comments about the unfairness of the budget. The minister has not mentioned that in his answer as yet. The PRESIDENT: Senator Moore, the minister has been addressing the question. He did go to the core of the question. He might not necessarily be answering it in the way you would like him to answer it, but he did address the core part of the question. Senator Wong? Senator Wong: Thank you, Mr President. The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, I have ruled on the point of order. I do not think there is anything you can add. Senator Wong: This is a new standard, Mr President. The PRESIDENT: I am sorry, Senator Wong, I am not going to accept that. Senator Cormann, you have the call. Senator CORMANN: All of us on this side of the chamber are very concerned about the unfairness of the budget situation that Labor left behind. Of course, the worst finance minister in the history of the Commonwealth is none other than Senator Wong. It is Senator Wong that put Australia on a trajectory where we are borrowing from our children and grandchildren and locking in massive increases in expenditure, in legislation, in the period beyond— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. A point of order, Senator Wong? Senator Wong: Thank you, Mr President. The question was very simple: can the minister confirm that no minister has raised the unfairness of the budget with him? It is based on the minister's own public statements. He is not addressing the question. With respect, Mr President, deciding to answer a different question is not direct relevance. The PRESIDENT: I am sorry, Senator Wong. I cannot determine in what context the question was asked. I can only determine, a question is asked— Senator Wong: He said on national television— The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, you have raised a point of order and you are now ignoring my response. Senator Ian Macdonald: Throw her out! Senator Colbeck interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Macdonald and Senator Colbeck, it does not assist. A question was asked. The minister has gone directly to the core of the question in his response. I can only listen to the question and listen to the answer. He has spoken about the unfairness— Senator Wong interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I am not going to entertain a debate about this, Senator Wong. Senator Wong: I have a question for the President. The PRESIDENT: I will entertain a question. Senator Wong?