Senator PAYNE (New South Wales—Minister for Defence) (14:25): As I said in my previous answer, the details around acquisition of land were confirmed in the signing of the MOU with Singapore on 13 October 2016. That was the formal agreement by both countries to the scale of the increased access Singapore would be offered. The PRESIDENT: Pause the clock. Point of order, Senator Wong? Senator Wong: On relevance. The minister is avoiding the question. She was asked about her knowledge: when was she aware? When was she aware that the DOD was considering compulsory acquisition? Senator Ian Macdonald: What's your point of order? Senator Wong: Relevance. Senator Ian Macdonald: Well, you've made your point. Sit down. The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Macdonald! Senator Wong: You're actually not the President. The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Wong! Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on both sides! Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Wong and Senator Macdonald! On the point of order, Senator Brandis. Senator Brandis: Relating to the point of order, Senator Wong persistently screams across the chamber at backbench senators. It is most disorderly. I understand that this is a robust chamber. I understand that a degree of badinage between both sides of the chamber is tolerable and acceptable. But the constant stream of screaming across the table by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate at coalition backbench senators is quite beyond what is tolerable parliamentary conduct. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Brandis. Senator Gallagher, on the same point of order. Senator Gallagher: Thank you, Mr President. I will not delay the Senate, but what an extraordinary response from Senator Brandis there. The screaming is coming from the Liberal Party backbench over to this side of the chamber. We put up with it every single question time, from Senator Macdonald to the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. It is constant. It is every question. It is every day that we sit, and he is the one that should be brought to order. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Gallagher. Senator Macdonald, on the same point of order. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, Senator Wong has a reputation, and has had ever since she became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, of screaming shrilly across the chamber. I try to help her by bringing her to order. She ignores you, Mr President, and the sooner you can throw her out for her disobedience of the President the better the— The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Macdonald. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! I do not need any further assistance on the point of order. Senator Cameron, unless you are going to really assist the chamber— Senator Cameron: Yes, on the point of order—I hope it does assist the chamber—I hope you advise Senator Macdonald that it is not his job to do that. It is your job, not his. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Cameron. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on both sides! It is a timely point now to remind all senators—and there is no innocence at any point in this chamber—that interjections are disorderly. Senator Brandis made a key point: that there are times during question time where robustness is tolerated, but to a minimum. Interjections have become a bit disorderly. Senator Cameron's point was that it is not up to other senators to advise senators how their behaviour should be conducted during question time, or other times for that matter. I would just ask all senators to consider their behaviour in the chamber. As I have mentioned before, we have the public watching us, as we do today, during live coverage of question time. We have people in the gallery, and often we have school groups here. I think our behaviour needs to be reflected upon and I ask all senators to consider that. I thank senators for their contributions to the points of order. As for the substantive point of order raised by Senator Wong in relation to Senator Payne, Senator Payne, in fairness, was only a quarter of the way into her answer. I remind Senator Payne of the question. Senator PAYNE: I do not recall specifically how much of the response I started on, so I will commence again. It was the signing of the memorandum of understanding, which I believe I said before, with Singapore that set out the agreed parameters of the increased training access that Australia would offer on 13 October 2016 which represented the formal agreement by both countries— Senator Wong: When did you become aware? Senator PAYNE: to the scale of the increased access that Singapore would be offered— The PRESIDENT: Order, Minister. Senator Macdonald, on a point of order. Senator Ian Macdonald: In spite of your warning to all of us, including Senator Wong, she has immediately started interjecting on Senator Payne. Now, Mr President, I do ask that you do something about the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate— Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Ian Macdonald: and she is even doing it now. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, on my left! I remind senators again about interjections during questions asked and answers given, and I again remind senators to just reflect upon who watches the conduct in this chamber. Minister. Senator PAYNE: I think I said the signing of the MOU with Singapore, which set out the agreed parameters of the increased training access that Australia would offer on 13 October 2016, which was the signing date, represented the formal agreement— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Watt, a final supplementary question.