Senator ABETZ (Tasmania—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Employment) (14:38): It is difficult to comment on hearsay from an unnamed source. That leaves me, I must say, at some disadvantage in responding to the senator's question. However— The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Senator Xenophon: Mr President, I rise on a point of order as to relevance. I am not asking the minister to comment on hearsay; I am asking what his knowledge is of the Prime Minister's office being aware of these alleged statements. The PRESIDENT: I think it would be fair to say that the minister has commenced his answer and is directly answering your question. He has one minute and 46 seconds left to go. It was fairly early to take a point of order of that nature. Senator ABETZ: With respect to Senator Xenophon, his question did have a very long preamble, and I am dealing with the preamble in relation to the suggestions made. In relation to the Defence Materiel Organisation, I have no advice as to whether that was said or not said or whether that is their view. However, I can share with Senator Xenophon that the Prime Minister's, and the government's, view is that any Australian company that can credibly meet the requirements will be considered on merit—as will potential international partners—in this very important task of creating a defence capability of submarines. Irrespective of how that occurs, there will be huge job opportunities in the shipbuilding sector and the ship maintenance sector of the South Australian economy. Something that should never be overlooked as we go about this very important and, if I might say, very expensive acquisition is that we do the right thing by the nation's defence needs and also by taxpayers' dollars and, of course, that we do everything that we can to ensure jobs in South Australia.