Senator McKENZIE (Victoria—Minister for Rural Health, Minister for Sport, Minister for Regional Communications and Deputy Leader of The Nationals) (14:00): I thank Senator Dodson for his question. Our government is committed to effecting much more rapid change to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health. Despite the obvious challenges in trying to turn around a 200-year-old disadvantage gap in just 10 years, we have made real progress after the last decade in improving the lives of our First Australians. Of course, I won't be pre-empting the Prime Minister's Closing the Gap update on how we're tracking the targets, but we have learnt a lot over the last decade, building on solid foundations to create a truly productive— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Cameron on a point of order? Senator Cameron: Yes, a point of order on relevance. This is not about what the Prime Minister may or may not do. What has been asked is: can the minister confirm that the government has not allocated a single dollar to the implementation plan? The PRESIDENT: The question included a preamble making assertions about government policy, and the minister is addressing that part of the question. I can't direct the minister how to answer the question. The minister has been reminded of the terms of the question. Senator Wong? Senator Wong: Mr President, perhaps you could direct the opposition's attention to which part of the preamble discussed government policy. The PRESIDENT: I try to take notes as accurately as I can. There were assertions around funding cuts, I believe, and— Senator Wong: That's the point of order of direct relevance. The PRESIDENT: The point of order— Senator Wong: The direct relevance point goes to the dollar— The PRESIDENT: The minister is allowed to address the preamble of the question. Senator Wong: I invite you, Mr President, after question time to consider your statement that the preamble went to government policy as a basis for ruling against the opposition on the point of order. The PRESIDENT: I will do that, Senator Wong. Senator McKenzie. Senator McKENZIE: I was actually going to talk about some of the improvements that have been made over the decade in this area and to acknowledge that we all need to do more, not just at a Commonwealth level but, importantly, given the constitutional areas of responsibility in the Closing the Gap targets, with our states and territories. But, in terms of the implementation plan, it is core business, and the Indigenous Australians' Health Program provides $3.6 billion over the forwards to assist with this target. I could go on more. I'm not sure whether the senator would like me to talk about where we have made a difference in child mortality rates, in trachoma—and we've done that in partnership with Indigenous communities— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator McKenzie! Senator Wong, on a point of order. Senator Wong: Given the minister's invitation, I raise the point of order that Senator Cameron raised on direct relevance, which is the proposition that the government hasn't allocated a single dollar to the Implementation Plan for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan since it was released. That was the only question asked. The PRESIDENT: On the point of order, Senator Wong, I believe the minister is being relevant to the terms of the question asked when the question is considered in its totality. I will do what you asked after question time and review the Hansard. Senator McKenzie. Senator McKENZIE: Again, my advice from the Minister for Indigenous Health is that the implementation is core business. We've provided $3.6 billion, which compared with previously is a significant increase. Implementation plan deliverables are also delivered through mainstream programs such as the MBS, the PBS, public hospital funding, aged care and health workforce, for which we are providing record funding to each and every state and territory government. The PRESIDENT: Senator Dodson, a supplementary question.