Senator FARRELL (South Australia—Minister for Trade and Tourism, Special Minister of State and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:57): I thank Senator McKenzie for her question. I'm pleased to say that bit by bit we are turning the situation around from the situation we inherited from the former government, where the level of seats on aeroplanes coming to Australia was very low and the cost was very high. We haven't entirely resolved that issue in the time that we've been in government, but, bit by bit, we are working towards returning the situation to what it was pre the pandemic. There are some countries where we are, in fact, getting more people into Australia than— The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie? Senator McKenzie: The minister has yet to go anywhere near the Qatar Airways decision and, indeed, the advice he gave to the responsible minister in his capacity as trade and tourism minister. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator McKenzie. I draw the minister's attention to your question. Senator FARRELL: Thank you, President, and thanks, Senator McKenzie, for the point of order. The Australian government considers, of course, a range of factors when determining whether an expansion of bilateral air rights is in the national interest. The government at this time has decided not to approve the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority's request for additional services. International aviation helps facilitate Australia's tourism, trade and international education sectors and supports our global, national and regional economic interests and social connectivity. We have seen continued growth in Australian domestic aviation in the last year as the sector recovers from the COVID-19— The PRESIDENT: Minister Farrell, please resume your seat. Senator Birmingham? Senator Birmingham: Madam President, I have a point of order on the question of direct relevance. The minister has been broadly relevant to the question asked by Senator McKenzie, but the question went specifically to the advice, the reasons and the minister's own engagement in relation to the decision. He has not touched on any of those areas of direct relevance to the question asked by Senator McKenzie. The PRESIDENT: I draw the minister's attention to the latter part of Senator McKenzie's question. Senator FARRELL: We've seen strong recovery in international passenger traffic to and from Australia, which was at 21.351 million— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: I invite you to ask your first supplementary question, Senator McKenzie.