Senator CASH (Western Australia—Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) (15:04): I thank Senator Carr for the question. Senator Carr, you would be aware that Urban Congestion Fund projects will be funded in Labor seats. This is a $4 billion fund, as you know, and it is all about bringing to life 166 crucial projects. Construction will start on 70 of them this year. Four are already underway, with geotechnical investigations and other preparatory work underway on many more. As the Minister for Finance has stated— The PRESIDENT: Senator Carr, on a point of order? Senator Kim Carr: On relevance, Mr President. I asked a specific question about seats in Melbourne—not the general program, but seats in Melbourne. The PRESIDENT: I didn't catch every word in the question. I remind the minister of that part of the question. I believe—and I'm happy to be corrected—there was an earlier part that asked the minister to confirm funding about seats more generally as well. Senator Kim Carr interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Well, I've allowed you to remind the minister of the question. Senator Cash. Senator CASH: Senator Carr, I can confirm that these are election commitments made by the government. You may have forgotten, but the Australian people voted in May last year to re-elect the coalition government. As a result, these decisions of the government are now being implemented. I can confirm in relation to Victoria the following: $70 million for the Northern Lines commuter car parking, in the seats of Calwell and McEwen; $50 million for upgrades of the Calder Freeway and the M80 ring road, in Gorton and McEwen; $50 million for upgrades on the Hume Freeway and the M80 ring road, again in the seat of McEwen; $50 million for upgrades on the Western Freeway— The PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Cash. I've got Senator Gallagher on a point of order. Senator Gallagher: It's similar to Senator Carr's point of order. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Can I hear the point of order please? Senator Gallagher: It's the same point that Senator Carr made. The question was actually quite specific and named a number of seats. The minister is deliberately avoiding answering the question that was asked. It was not a general question— The PRESIDENT: No, I understand. Senator Gallagher: It was drafted specifically, and the minister should be specific. The PRESIDENT: Senator Cormann? Senator Cormann: Mr President, on the point of order: the question included a number of assertions and accusations, and the minister is directly relevant in responding to those. The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, on the point of order? Senator Wong: On the point of order: the only assertions contained in the question, which we're happy for the minister to respond to, were that there's $240 million for the seat of Higgins and nothing for Gellibrand, Lalor or Maribyrnong. That's a pretty reasonable set of facts for the minister to respond to, and she hasn't responded to them. Direct relevance, Mr President. I ask you to call her to order. The PRESIDENT: I have taken some advice from the Clerk because I admitted a second ago that this is not a question I managed to get notes of. You reminded the minister of the question. I do believe that, if asked a question about seats in Melbourne receiving funding under this program, it is directly relevant for a minister to answer that by asserting other seats in that same location were part of the program. But I am listening carefully to the answer, as I appreciate the question was specifically asked. You've reminded the minister of the specific nature of the question. I ask her to continue keeping that in mind. Senator Cash. Senator CASH: Mr President, as I was saying, we are actually providing urban congestion funding in Labor seats in Victoria—$50 million for upgrades on the Western Freeway and the M80 ring road, in the seats of Fraser and Gorton. We took these projects to the election in May last year and the Australian people endorsed the plan of action that the coalition government took to the election. (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Carr, a supplementary question?