Senator BRANDIS (Queensland—Attorney-General, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:30): I don't accept the premise of your question. The government does accept the science of climate change. Of course we accept the science of climate change. We also, by the way, accept that within that broad descriptor there is vigorous debate, particularly, of course, among scientists themselves, as to certain premises and certain conclusions. Nevertheless, the broad proposition that there is an empirically established link between human behaviour and climate change, we do support and accept. For that reason— The PRESIDENT: A point of order, Senate Di Natale? Senator Di Natale: A point of order on relevance. My question went specifically to the link between climate change and extreme weather. I didn't question the government's view on whether climate change was caused by humans. We know the debate within the coalition around that. I said specifically that the government denied that there was a link between climate change and the frequency and severity of extreme weather. The minister has not addressed that part of the question. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Di Natale. The minister did reject the premise of your question outright at the beginning. But, also, the minister has been relevant to your preamble and to parts of the question. I will call the minister. Senator BRANDIS: Senator Di Natale, we have been debating this issue, as you and I both know, in this chamber for many years. What has been a subject of frustration to me, I must say, and to many on my side of the chamber, is the refusal of those who have your concerns to even pay the courtesy of a hearing to those who might challenge your assertions. We believe, on our side of the chamber, that the discussion of any question of public importance is improved by a debate, is improved by having the premises tested and is improved by having the conclusions questioned, rather than the assertion that we so often hear from the Greens that there is only one point of view available here, and that's the end of the matter. Having said that, I accept, and the government accepts, the proposition that there is an empirically established link between human behaviour and climate change, and that includes, on occasions, extreme weather events. Although, among scientists, as you know, Senator Di Natale, there is also a vigorous debate about which extreme weather events may be attributable to which particular causes of agents. The PRESIDENT: Senator Di Natale, a supplementary question.