Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Attorney-General, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:34): Thank you very much indeed, Senator Xenophon, and thank you for your courtesy in giving me advance notice of this question. I do have some information for you that has been supplied by the Department of Defence. The Turnbull government's 2016 Defence white paper is the most comprehensive plan for the safety and security of our nation ever. It provides the funding needed to ensure that the Australian Defence Force can keep us and our borders safe both now and well into the future. Over the next decade, the government will invest $195 billion in defence capability. Any cuts to defence funding, such as those, Senator Xenophon, which you have proposed, put at risk our plan to build the defence capability— The PRESIDENT: A point of order, Senator Xenophon? Senator Xenophon: Firstly, I am being egregiously misrepresented and, secondly, the question is about waste—about wastage in Defence—and I gave two specific examples where there is no doubt that these were projects that went off the rails that cost taxpayers a lot of money. The PRESIDENT: Senator Xenophon, in relation to the matter about you being misrepresented, there are other avenues for you to do that, if that is the case. In relation to your point of order, I advise the minister that he has one minute and 13 seconds in which to answer the question. Senator BRANDIS: Senator Xenophon, in relation to the projects that have not been successful in the past, one of our 2013 election commitments was to conduct the first principles defence review to ensure that Defence is appropriately structured and organised and has the right business practices in place to support the Australian Defence Force in the 21st century; and, as I understand the position, Senator Xenophon, the instances you have given predate the first principles defence review. The review set out a comprehensive plan for transformational change throughout the defence organisation to ensure we can deliver on the record investment set out in the defence white paper and to reassure you, Senator, and to reassure all Australians that every dollar will be spent efficiently. The PRESIDENT: Senator Xenophon, a supplementary question.