Senator SCULLION (Northern Territory—Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) (14:01): I thank Senator Dodson for the question. No, we're not walking away from— An opposition senator interjecting— Senator SCULLION: Are you right? Cracker! Just let me get 'uh' out, if you could. Senator Dodson, I know you'll be listening to this, if none of the others on the other side are. No, we're not walking away from that at all, Senator Dodson. But one of the things you need to know, which I haven't had the opportunity to personally come round and explain yet, is that since Christmas we've been doing some calculations about why it is that the clear calculations we did about 10 years, which are about numbers—how many houses we need to invest in and predictions of population—haven't quite got there and we now need another little addition. There were a number of things that might have happened, but there's one thing we're most concerned with. I asked every state and territory jurisdiction: 'Is it a fact that you stopped building houses in the NPARIH area for 10 years? Is it a fact that you actually took the money away in the most racist possible process and policy that I can remember in this place?' In any event, I'm giving a new opportunity for the jurisdictions to come back about that. New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania have acknowledged that they're moving away from that; they're taking their own responsibilities under that. But they are in different circumstances. We had an independent review that showed the Northern Territory is the largest need, about 50 per cent. Under that come South Australia and Queensland—almost under that—and then much further down the pace comes— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Scullion. Please resume your seat. Senator Wong. Senator Wong: A point of order on direct relevance, Mr President: the question Senator Dodson asked was whether the government had taken a decision to end the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing. It is a very important question and, whilst the minister may have a lot of political attack on the states that he wishes to engage in, we would ask that he answer that simple question. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Wong. As you know, I can't instruct the minister how to answer the question but I can remind the minister of the terms of it. Senator Scullion. Senator SCULLION: A national partnership involves every state and territory. It is self-evident that New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria are no longer in it. So now we're moving to a bipartisan approach. We've made the announcement with the Northern Territory and we're still in discussions with the other states and territories. But fundamental to this is ensuring that the states and territories are held to account, and those opposite should ensure that they are holding them to account in each of their jurisdictions. (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Dodson, a supplementary question.