Senator CORMANN (Western Australia—Minister for Finance, Vice-President of the Executive Council and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:14): Ms Liu issued a statement yesterday in her name. That's her statement. It's on the public record. This is the Labor Party pursuing a smear against a recently elected member of parliament just because they are still going through the seven stages of grief at not having won a seat they thought they already had in their pocket. Do you think the Labor Party would be asking the same questions if the Labor candidate in Chisholm had won that election, who was a member of the state organisations— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Keneally, on a point of order? Senator Keneally: It is on direct relevance. The question was very specific, asking the minister if the reports in the media today are correct—that Ms Liu's office is forwarding all media inquiries to the Prime Minister's office and that Ms Liu's statement was drafted by the Prime Minister's office. The PRESIDENT: On the point of order about direct relevance, I said earlier—and the minister did not breach this—that observations about other people were not in order with specific questions. The question did reference the statement. I heard the minister talking about the statement; I believe that is relevant. I can't instruct him how to answer the question. And I might be honest and say a glancing statement that is political in an answer would not be foreign to this particular chamber. But I'm listening very carefully to his answer. I believe he was talking about the statement, and that is directly relevant. Senator CORMANN: As I have indicated, the member for Chisholm's issued statement is on the public record, but I make the broader point that the only reason the Labor Party is pursuing this smear— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Wong, on a point of order? Senator Wong: The question went to whether or not the reports that Ms Liu's office were forwarding all media inquiries to the PMO and that her statement was drafted by the PMO were correct. That was the only question asked. I would say to you, Mr President, that is more than 'glancing'. The minister has refused to even touch the question as to whether the reports that the PMO drafted the statement and was dealing with media inquiries are correct. The PRESIDENT: You've reminded the minister of the question, Senator Wong. I cannot instruct him how to answer a question. He is required to be directly relevant. And, as I've said before, a glancing comment might be in order, but it is not appropriate to talk about others when the question is so specific. Senator CORMANN: As I've said several times now, there's a statement that was issued by the member for Chisholm— Opposition senators: Who wrote it? Senator CORMANN: under her authority, her name. It is her statement, presenting her story, and if the Labor Party actually took— (Time expired)