Senator McKIM (Tasmania) (14:58): Minister, who is lying, you or the United Nations, in regards to the facilities being ready? Secondly, Minister Dutton wanted his prisoners out of his detention centre and the PNG security forces did as he asked, driving starving, dehydrated and defenceless people out by beating them with metal batons. Did you toast those beatings in your party room, Minister, as you saw those blows rain down? Did you congratulate yourself on an outstanding policy success? The PRESIDENT: Senator McKim, resume your seat. Senator Brandis on the point of order. Senator Brandis: Senators during question time are entitled to frame their questions in such a way as to make sharp rhetorical points, but I think, with respect, what has fallen from Senator McKim goes way beyond the bounds of acceptability or decency in this chamber and ought to be ruled out of order. The PRESIDENT: Senator Di Natale on the point of order? Senator Di Natale: On that point of order: that comment from Senator Brandis is a little rich. We were here in this chamber a little over a week ago when Senator Brandis accused Senator McKim of inciting violence. We heard that accusation repeated now. I think the question was entirely in order and the minister should be forced to answer it. The PRESIDENT: Senator Bernardi on the point of order? Senator Bernardi: Yes, Mr President, on the point of order: to put it simply, the use of the term 'lied' or to imply that the minister had lied is entirely unparliamentary, and I would ask you to rule this question completely out of order. The PRESIDENT: On the point of order— An honourable senator: That's actually two. The PRESIDENT: Yes, that's technically correct. That is a second point of order from Senator Bernardi. On the first matter, I will allow the minister to answer those parts of the question. I will reflect exactly what was recorded. I was trying to take notes on the language but I didn't get every word and, if appropriate, I will bring that back to the chamber. I call Senator Cash to answer the parts of the question that were asked before the clock ran out. Senator Cash. Senator CASH: Thank you, Mr President. Senator McKim, most of what you said was actually political rhetoric, nothing more and nothing less. But you did ask whether or not this government was proud of policy success. In relation to your question, the answer is: we are very proud of the policy success that we have had in relation to securing our nation's borders. Senator McKim interjecting— Senator CASH: As I said, Senator McKim, you and I are going to have to disagree. On this side of the chamber, we will always put the national interest first. On this side of the chamber, we understand that the No. 1 priority of your Commonwealth government— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Hinch. Senator Hinch: Mr President, are we going to start this session the way we ended the last one, where the interjections just roll over the answers? The PRESIDENT: Again, I will ask all senators to particularly keep in mind— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order, please! We have had a senator ask for some degree of silence from the far end of the chamber so that they may hear the answer. Can those adjacent to that senator who might have been interjecting keep that in mind. They have their place, but senators need to be able to hear answers to questions. Thank you, Senator Hinch. Senator Cash. Senator CASH: As I was saying, on this side of the chamber, we put our border security and national security as a fundamental priority of our government. We make no apologies in that regard. Senator McKim, I am often bemused that you stand up here and criticise government policy, because in criticising the policy successes of this government you openly endorse open borders. You openly endorse 50,000— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Cash. The time for the answer has expired. Senator McKim, a final supplementary question.