Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Finance, Minister for Women, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Vice-President of the Executive Council) (14:54): I thank Senator McGrath for the question, and my answer will be the answer that I've been giving consistently in this chamber around the plan that this government has to support households who are doing it tough because of the inflation challenge that we inherited from those opposite. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator GALLAGHER: That's right. I know— The PRESIDENT: Minister, please resume your seat. I have called the chamber to order. I should not have to keep repeating myself. The minister has the right to be heard in silence. Senator GALLAGHER: The inflation challenge that we inherited from those opposite—I know you don't like it, but the single biggest quarter of inflation growth was your final quarter in government. That is when interest rates had to start going up to deal with it, because we inherited— Opposition senators interjecting— Senator GALLAGHER: Well, the facts don't lie. So our plan has been to deliver— The PRESIDENT: Minister, please resume your seat. Senator Birmingham? Senator Birmingham: I have a point of order on direct relevance, because Senator McGrath's question goes to the 12 months to June this year, which is the OECD data. Senator Gallagher is trying to rely on the quarter before that—not even the 12 months of her government. The PRESIDENT: Senator Birmingham, you are well aware that is a debating point. Minister Wong? Senator Wong: I raise a separate point of order. I would just make the point that you have called for order quite a number of times, and the opposition are completely ignoring it— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Wong: as they are now! Senator Birmingham interjecting— Senator Wong: I'm just making the point. We understand that, at times, this can be a robust chamber, but this is a repeated disregard for the President's rulings or exhortation to have the minister be heard. I'd ask the opposition to allow the minister to at least answer the question. The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Wong. I will remind people that the senator has the right to be heard in silence. Senator GALLAGHER: As Senator McGrath knows—because context is important here—the decline in household living standards occurred in its sharpest form in the final quarter of the former government, when inflation was at its peak. That context is important, as is the fact that, in the countries nominated by Senator McGrath, inflation peaked earlier than it did here. It rose earlier, and it peaked earlier. Opposition senators interjecting— Senator GALLAGHER: Well, again— The PRESIDENT: Minister, please resume your seat. Order! Senator Cash interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Just a moment, Minister; please resume your seat. Senator Cash, I just called the chamber to order, and the minute the minister got back to her feet, you started interjecting again. When I call the Senate to order, it does include you, Senator Cash. Senator GALLAGHER: In many of those countries, inflation peaked higher than it did in Australia, but it certainly peaked earlier, and so it would make sense that our return of inflation to a target range will be later than those other countries. They're the facts. It doesn't change our plan for cost-of-living relief, getting the budget in better shape and making investments in the productive capacity of the economy. The PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath, a first supplementary?