Mr CLARE (Blaxland—Minister for Education) (15:13): Over the last 10 years, the ARC has been bedevilled by political interference. I have ended that by getting politicians out of the decision-making process. Mr Dutton: Who did you put in? Mr CLARE: You shouldn't ask questions you don't know the answer to, Pete. It just happened to be the former head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under you. Mr Littleproud: What a joke! Mr CLARE: He's a joke now, is he? Peter Shergold is a joke; is that right? Do you want to apologise to him at the dispatch box now? The SPEAKER: Order! The minister needs to direct his comments through the chair. This is not a back and forth across the chamber. You are answering a question. Ms Rishworth interjecting— The SPEAKER: The Minister for Social Services is warned. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order. Mr Dutton: If leave has been granted, I'm very happy to add to this question, and the point that I would make is that this is outrageous spending— The SPEAKER: No. Resume your seat. Honourable members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! The House is going to come to order immediately. This is not an appropriate way to behave. The minister is going to answer the question. He will not take interjections from the Leader of the Opposition, and the Leader of the Opposition will not make the interjections. I'm just going to ask the minister to return to the question. Mr CLARE: He couldn't help himself, could he, Mr Speaker? More aggro than Cartoon Connection! The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will pause. I've already cautioned the minister. He has one more chance to return to the question. I don't want any more commentary about the opposition. I want him to return straight to the question, or he'll be sat down. Mr CLARE: All ARC project funding applications are subject to a competitive process, informed by peer review with recommendations made by experts. Peer review is the accepted world standard for achieving quality in research grant outcomes. The ARC is not the political plaything of the Liberal Party, and I'm actually surprised that the member for Sturt would ask this question, given that, when this was debated in the parliament a couple of months ago, he didn't even bother to participate in the debate. Government members interjecting— The SPEAKER: Order! Members on my right are going to cease interjecting. Mr Perrett interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Moreton is warned.