Senator DI NATALE (Victoria—Leader of the Australian Greens) (14:19): The NEG entrenches the power of the big three energy companies: Origin, Energy Australia and AGL. Given they're the ones gauging households and exploiting prices—incidentally, they're donors to the Liberal Party as well—how will the government giving the big three energy companies— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Di Natale, please pause. There is a point of order from Senator Macdonald. Senator Ian Macdonald: I draw your attention to standing order 73—I know you know it, but I'll repeat it for everyone—which says: (1) The following rules shall apply to questions: questions shall not contain: … … … (b) arguments; (c) inferences; (d) imputations; That question is clearly an argument, and it's clearly debate about political matters. It is not asking a question. Mr President, you may say other presidents have allowed this, but, if we're not going to stand by the standing orders, why don't we amend them or get rid of them? If they're there, we should follow them. The PRESIDENT: On the point of order, Senator Macdonald, you quite correctly read out the provisions of the standing order 73(1). The first part of that allows statements of fact and names to render the question intelligible. I take the point that occasionally imputations are being put in questions. I'll come back to the chamber on it, because it has crept in along with people addressing each other individually across the chamber rather than making comments to the chair, which is another thing that is happening more often. I'll ask senators to keep that in mind, but I'll come back to the chamber on that. Senator Di Natale, please continue your question. Senator DI NATALE: From where? The PRESIDENT: Senator Di Natale, you were halfway through your question. Senator DI NATALE: How will the government, given the big three energy companies are already gouging consumers, reduce power prices, Minister?