Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management) (14:11): Again, I am very happy to provide the exact number to the member. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Watt, resume your seat, please. Opposition se nators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Watt, please continue. Senator WATT: I know it hurts being over there and I know it is going to hurt for a long time. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Watt, resume your seat. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Please allow the minister to answer the question. Senator WATT: What hurts our agriculture industry more is the hysteria that we continue to see on display from the opposition in relation to this very important issue. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Birmingham, on a point of order? Senator Birmingham: Thanks, President. There was only one question asked. That was: 'How many passengers have passed through Australian international airports from Indonesia since the foot-and-mouth outbreak was reported in Bali?' Senator Watt has taken that on notice already. He is now simply moving to make political points. He has addressed the question by taking it on notice and there is nothing further to add, clearly. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Birmingham. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Wong? Senator Wong: On that point of order, I would observe— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! I have called Senator Wong on a point of order. I am asking senators to be silent. Senator Wong: Thank you, President. I think there is precedent—but obviously you will take advice from the Clerk—in the previous parliament where, even if a minister has taken on notice responding to some of the substance of what was put subsequently, he is entitled to do that. That was the practice under the previous government and the previous President. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senators Birmingham and Wong. I remind Senator Watt to address his remarks to the question. He has taken some of it on notice, but he may be able to— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Do you wish to raise a point of order, Senator McKenzie? Okay, Senator Watt, please continue. Senator WATT: I wanted to check this number to make sure that I was giving accurate information to the chamber. The number is 23,600 air travellers— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Watt, please resume your seat. I would say to all senators that, if I am directing a senator or senators to do something in particular, please do that. I was trying to get Senator Watt to sit down so I could listen to Senator McKenzie's reason for standing up. But I wasn't able to do that because there was too much noise. Senator McKenzie? Senator McKenzie: I want to raise a point of order, and if it isn't a technical point of order I'd ask you to rule on this. Senator Watt answered the question by taking it on notice. He therefore ended his answer. I would like a ruling from you on this. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: When there is silence I will answer that response. The question was asked about a specific number which, you are correct, Senator Watt took on notice. But he has now been supplied with that, and in the same way that other ministers would've, he is informing the Senate of that number. Senator WATT: As I was saying, the number of passengers arriving by air from Indonesia last week was 23,600. Of those, 21,948 were air travellers returning from Bali, so about 90-odd per cent. I think one of the pleasing aspects of this is that the efforts of our biosecurity officers over the weekend—it's disappointing that Senator McKenzie doesn't want— Senator McKenzie: I am just seeking clarification, President. He gave us last week's Bali numbers. I asked for the passengers from 5 July once the outbreak in Bali was actually notified to Australia, so is he going to take on notice the parts he couldn't answer or is that his answer? The PRESIDENT: Senator Watt was I think answering the question. I don't think he got to the end of it, so let's get him to the end of it and see where we end up. Senator McGrath, on a point of order? Senator McGrath: I would ask the minister to table the document that he is clearly reading from. Will you table it? And could he table his phone also, please? Senator WATT: It's disappointing that senators opposite want to ridicule such a serious matter. Opposition senators interjecting— Senator WATT: I'm trying to help. I'm trying to give you information. Senator McGrath: I am asking for the minister to table the document. The PRESIDENT: And the minister has agreed to table the document. Senator McGrath: Has the minister agreed to table the document? I didn't hear the minister say so. Have you tabled the document? The PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath, please resume your seat. Senator McGrath interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath, I have asked you to sit down. I understood, and I will clarify, Senator Watt has agreed to table the document. Senator Watt, please resume answering the question. Senator WATT: I will take that request on notice. If Senator McKenzie would like the information that she has asked for, I'm happy to provide it. The week commencing 4 July this year 20,404 passengers returned to or entered Australia from Indonesia, 92.7 per cent of whom were from Bali; 23,600 the following week, the week commencing 11 July; and the most updated figures that I have are the ones that I have already given. The pleasing thing about the numbers, when you dig into them further, is that we are seeing an increased level of compliance from passengers, which shows that they are listening to the accurate, non-alarmist information that is being put out by this government, as opposed to the alarmist rhetoric coming from the opposition, which is rejected roundly by industry. The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, first supplementary?