Senator DI NATALE (Victoria—Leader of the Australian Greens) (14:13): This government has been in power for four years, and the entire energy system is crumbling around it. The government has— Senator Cash: Who is your question to? Senator DI NATALE: This is a question for the Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for the Environment and Energy. The government has been in power for four years, and the entire energy system is crumbling. The government's plan has consisted of ripping up the carbon price, slashing the renewable energy target and keeping open this clunker of a coal-fired power station. What have we got? We've got pollution up, prices up, corporate profits up, reliability down and new investment down— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on my left! Senator Macdonald, a point of order? Senator Ian Macdonald: Under no circumstances and no view of this question can this be seen as anything but a speech, a cheap political point while we're on broadcast. If the senator has a question, he should ask the question and not make a speech. You will note from the standing orders that is not allowed in asking questions. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Macdonald. It has been allowed over many, many years that senators can provide context and can provide a preamble to their question. However, by doing that, they run the risk of making it easier for a minister to range widely with their response in relation to the preamble as well as the question. Senator Di Natale, you have the call. Senator DI NATALE: It's unprecedented to be interrupted, so I'll start that again. Can we start the clock again? The PRESIDENT: No, Senator Di Natale. Senator Ian Macdonald: It wasn't a question anyhow. The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Macdonald! You've made your point of order. Senator Di Natale, no, we won't be starting the clock again. Senator DI NATALE: I can't even remember where I left off. I'm going to have to start again. I don't know. The PRESIDENT: I can assist you, Senator Di Natale, because I was writing it down, if you want my assistance. Senator DI NATALE: Was it the bit about the energy system crumbling? Was it about pollution being up? Was it the bit about prices being up, reliability being down or investment coming down? Which bit was it, Mr President? Please help me. The PRESIDENT: Senator Di Natale, if you don't have a question, you have 14 seconds left. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Di Natale, you have 11 seconds left in which to ask your question. Senator DI NATALE: When's the government going to stop blaming AGL, the Greens, state governments and environmentalists and come up with a plan that actually works?