Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for the Environment and Water) (14:18): Thank you, Senator Waters. I'm very honoured to hold the role of federal minister for the environment in a party that is the party of delivering real environmental reform. We never saw a Greens party deliver stopping the Franklin Dam, stopping mining in Antarctica, protecting Kakadu or protecting Murujuga. In fact, the Greens Party campaigned against the World Heritage listing of Murujuga only a few months ago. So I'm very honoured to hold the role of supporting federal Labor's policies when it comes to the environment. As Senator Waters knows, when she puts her political rhetoric aside just for a little moment, the laws that we've introduced to the parliament deliver real gains for the environment—things like national environmental standards that have never been part of our law and things like requiring proponents to avoid and mitigate environmental harm. Senator Waters: Bullshit. The PRESIDENT: Minister Wong? Senator Wong: I might have misheard the leader of the Greens interjecting in what was quite an unparliamentary way. I'd ask her to demonstrate, perhaps, a little more leadership than that. The PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, I didn't hear anything—it is hard to hear up here—but, if you did make an unparliamentary remark, I'd ask you to withdraw it. Senator Waters: It was very unparliamentary, but, on a point of order, the minister was asserting that he knew what my understanding was. He does not, so I retaliated. If I withdraw, he should too. The PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, you are getting into a debating point. If you made the unparliamentary remark—and you said you did—I want you to just stand up and withdraw it. Senator Waters: I withdraw, but the minister should know that I am a trained environmental lawyer. Don't purport to tell me— The PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, please resume your seat. We're going to try it for the third time. When you withdraw, you simply withdraw. It shouldn't have statements around it. If anyone in this place uses unparliamentary language, they're asked to withdraw. Senator Waters: I did withdraw. I'd now like to make a separate point of order. The PRESIDENT: No. Senator Waters— Senator Waters: I would like to make a point of order, and I'm intending to do so now. The PRESIDENT: Just a moment—just indulge me, Senator Waters. I'd like you to withdraw the comment and then seek the call again. Senator Waters: For the third time, I withdraw. The PRESIDENT: Thank you. Senator Waters: I'd now like to raise a point of order— The PRESIDENT: Certainly. Senator Waters: which is that the minister is breaching standing orders by purporting to understand what my understanding and intent is. That's in breach of the standing orders. The PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, you are getting into the territory of debating, so— Senator Waters: Well, what are the standing orders for, President? The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Waters. Please resume your seat. Have you finished your contribution, Minister? Senator WATT: Senator Waters knows that there are demonstrable gains for the environment in these reforms. She chooses to misrepresent the laws; that's a matter for her. The PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, first supplementary? Senator Waters: Can I clarify. Was that the minister's actual answer to my question about whether he would rule out coal and gas fast-tracks under these laws? Was that his answer? Has he finished? The PRESIDENT: It's not appropriate to ask me to make judgements about answers. You're perfectly capable of doing that yourself. Senator Waters: Well, through you, President, has the minister concluded his first answer or not? The PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, you are on your feet. The reason you're on your feet is I've invited you to put your first supplementary. So that would indicate that the minister has finished his answer.