Senator BIRMINGHAM (South Australia—Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:11): Senator Cormann made a very appropriate invitation to the Labor Party—that as the opposition, as a political party in this parliament, they may occasionally like to think of policy issues rather than just political smear. But here we are, less than a minute after Senator Cormann sat down, and Senator Watt bobs up and off he goes with yet more smear and innuendo. As I told the chamber the other day, Mr President, the opposition asked for an independent police investigation into this matter— The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, a point of order? Senator Wong: His question doesn't go to the police investigation. It goes to his staff members and what your ministers knew about their staff member's role in the document. The PRESIDENT: Senator Cormann on the point of order? Senator Cormann: Labor initiated an investigation, and it is an investigation that should be allowed to take course independently. The question absolutely related to the police investigation, which Labor initiated. In any event, there's a longstanding convention on both sides of politics that we do not drag individual staff into these matters. Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Cormann: You might want to check what Senator Faulkner used to say on the Hansard record in relation to these matters The PRESIDENT: Order! On the point of order, the earlier comments of the minister were probably not directly relevant, but I note he has now turned to the issue at hand. I'm not yet willing to rule that what he's saying is not directly relevant, but I'm listening very carefully because he has turned to the subject matter of the question. Senator Birmingham. Senator BIRMINGHAM: Thank you, Mr President. The accusation in the media that Senator Watt's question is based upon is clearly related to the police investigation that the Labor Party have requested. This is an independent police investigation. The government is not going to compromise it in any way. We've indicated we will cooperate with it. I'm certainly not going to speculate, based on media reports, about matters that are the subject of that police investigation. The PRESIDENT: Senator Watt, a supplementary question?