Senator McCARTHY (Northern Territory—Minister for Indigenous Australians) (10:19): I thank the Senate for their support in closing the gap. In fact, I thank the opposition for showing some interest—in particular, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. It's interesting that I met with Attorneys-General across Australia, and the two jurisdictions that are the worst in terms of incarceration rates in the country are the Northern Territory and Queensland. I would say to members opposite: speak to your colleagues. Work with me in trying to reduce the incarceration rates in this country of both First Nations adults and First Nations youth. There have been 11- and 12-year-olds in remand in the watch houses. Nearly 50 per cent of the prison— Senator McKenzie: What are you hiding? The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, Senator Liddle was heard in silence. There were no interjections and that same respect applies to Minister McCarthy. If you can't uphold that respect, please leave the chamber. Senator McCARTHY: Nearly 50 per cent of prisoners in the Northern Territory are on remand. They haven't even had their day in court. And where have been the voices of members opposite? Where have been the voices of members opposite while there have been deaths occurring in the prison system across Australia—most recently, there has been the news this morning out of Western Australia. Where have been the voices of those opposite? They talk about closing the gap. I say work with me. I am trying to do exactly that, but, as Senator Gallagher said, this is a whole-of-government approach, and that's why I want to see every single parliamentary committee in the Senate and every single minister around the cabinet table of this parliament answer those very questions that I don't have direct responsibility for. The Closing the Gap targets focus on housing, health, out-of-home care, the high rates of removal of our children and justice issues. Where appropriate, those questions need to go to the Attorney-General. I thank the Senate. I thank the Greens for their support in this. When we have greater scrutiny of Closing the Gap targets across every ministerial portfolio, guess what that does? Senator Hanson: Nothing! Senator McCARTHY: It brings accountability, Senator Hanson. You have shown no interest whatsoever, so I don't think I'll speak with you on this matter, but I will say this: for those who are genuinely interested in seeing improvement in First Nations people's lives in this country, then work with me. This decision comes about because we need greater scrutiny. I have called on every cabinet across every parliament who have signed up to the Closing the Gap agreement. It's been five years. So of course we've got to insist that every single cabinet across Australia and every minister that sits around those cabinet tables is responsible. When the joint council meets and I sit with Pat Turner, the leader of the Coalition of Peaks, on this, we call on the Indigenous affairs ministers in every jurisdiction to work with their colleagues, and it's the same in this parliament. We need to make sure that every minister, every cabinet secretary and every bureaucrat that works behind them is questioned appropriately on these targets— Senator Ruston: We want to scrutinise you! Senator McCARTHY: so if you are that interested, and I am very pleased to hear you are, then work with me on this and we will start to see major changes in the systemic issues that are impacting our outcomes in Closing the Gap.