Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (10:08): The government will not be supporting the suspension or the motion that's being moved by Senator Cash. I think it says a lot that the first item of business today demonstrates that the opposition is unable to actually work with the customs and norms of this place to resolve some of these issues. Senator Cash: You trashed them! Senator GALLAGHER: Well, no, Senator Cash. This is all about the way the opposition behaves and the fact that you are on a fast track to having zero influence in how issues are managed in this chamber. The Senate agreed to the sitting pattern earlier this term; I think it was earlier this year. It was agreed to. That set out the supplementary estimates week and was agreed to. Subsequent to this, there was a desire to have additional estimates days, which have been provided. We've provided an additional four days from 1 to 4 December—so a full additional week. There will be more estimates days this year because of the decisions the Senate took last week. The government is more than happy to front up and go through an additional week—not that you would understand that judging by the presentation of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate just before. Senator Ruston: Don't be condescending! The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator GALLAGHER: I'm sure Senator Ruston might be given the opportunity to say a few words, if she's given permission by her party, rather than interjecting on everything I say. Get your five minutes and speak to it. On the matter, I do appreciate the opposition's interest in Closing the Gap and cross-portfolio day. It is this government's view that it is every minister's responsibility and every department's responsibility to be accountable for the work that they are doing on Closing the Gap. It should be part of every committee's hearing, which is why there are an additional three days, Senator Cash, for you to pursue Closing the Gap through Legal and Constitutional Affairs, through F&PA, through Economics, through Community Affairs, through Rural and Regional and through Education and Employment—all of those. You name it. Turn up and ask the questions over the entire allocation of estimates. This new-found interest by the Leader of the Opposition— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Cash was heard in silence. That same respect needs to be shown to Minister Gallagher. Minister, please continue. Senator GALLAGHER: Now, we believe, Closing the Gap is not the Minister for Indigenous Affairs' responsibility. It is not. Honourable senators interjecting— Senator GALLAGHER: It is one of her responsibilities. It is the entire government's responsibility to ensure that we are making progress against closing the gap. Senator Cash: That's a great video! The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator GALLAGHER: Senator Cash, you're after a video. We're actually about closing the gap and pursuing it through all of the committees. The Minister for Indigenous Affairs leads that work, but all of us have responsibility. I have responsibility for Closing the Gap in my portfolio. The Minister for Health and Ageing has responsibility for Closing the Gap in his portfolio. It is the view of the government that, in addition to providing extra estimates days for the first week of December, after this parliament was due to rise, we can have another full week of estimates. If Senator Cash and her colleagues want to pursue any matter through those committees, that is open to them on those four additional days. This is in addition to the normal scheduling of supplementary budget estimates. We do not believe that cross-portfolio day is the only day that you can ask questions about the Murray-Darling. We think you should be able to ask questions about the Murray-Darling through the scheduled sitting days, and it's the same for Closing the Gap. Those matters can and should be pursued through individual committees, where ministers are responsible for them—and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, of course, leads that work. The result of last week is that we have an extra estimates week, Senator Cash, so all of your arguments about transparency and all of that are just nonsense because there are extra estimates days. You may not want to work on those days, or to come for that extra week, but you can be guaranteed the government will be here, ready and willing to answer all of the questions.