Senator FIFIELD (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Social Services) (14:32): I think it is important to point out that the previous Labor government not only terminated the NPAH funding beyond 30 June 2014, but it also failed to provide for homelessness funding in the forward estimates. The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Ludlam, on a point of order. Senator Ludlam: Mr President, I rise on a point of relevance: if I had wanted to ask about Labor policy, I would have asked a Labor senator; you are the government, Senator Fifield. Mr President, I ask you to draw his attention to the question. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Thank you, Senator Ludlam; Senator Fifield had just commenced his answer and he is putting the context around the question you asked. Senator FIFIELD: Thank you, Mr President. As I was saying, there was no provision for NPAH funding in the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Outlook in August 2013 issued by the former Treasurer. In contrast, the coalition government has provided $115 million for the 2014-15 National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness, which was matched by the states and territories. It is also important to point out that the states and territories are responsible for determining priorities, and retain the flexibility to decide which services should be funded. Mr President, in the short term, future arrangements for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness will be considered in the context of the 2015-16 budget, while longer-term arrangements for housing assistance and homelessness services will be considered in the context of the white paper.