Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (14:52): I am happy to take that question because I am asked about the risk to the surplus— Opposition senators interjecting— Senator WONG: I am so pleased they are happy that I am happy. Opposition senators interjecting— Senator WONG: I am asked about the risk to the surplus. I can— The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, resume your seat. Whilst happiness has broken out, Senator Wong, you are not asked to address that. Senator Wong, address the question. You have a minute and 43 seconds remaining. Senator WONG: I am asked about risks to the surplus and I am very happy to say to the chamber that the risks to the budget surplus are those on the other side. You do not have to take it from me. We know this because Mr Hockey, the shadow Treasurer of the opposition, their most senior economic spokesman— Senator Cormann: Mr President, I raise a point of order on the requirement for the minister to be directly relevant to the question. The minister was asked very specifically whether the cost of the carbon tax implementation will put the budget surplus in 2012-13 at risk. The minister has not gone anywhere near the question. We did not ask about any other risks; we asked about the very simple and single risk of the carbon tax to the budget surplus. I would ask you to draw the minister to the question. Senator Fifield interjecting— The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. I thought it was answered very well by Senator Fifield. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: If senators stopped interjecting across the chamber it would make it infinitely easier for me to hear the answers. Senator Wong, you have one minute and 11 seconds remaining to answer the question. Senator WONG: I am unsurprised that Senator Cormann is embarrassed about listening to what Mr Hockey said. A government senator: He wants his job. Senator WONG: Mr Hockey's job. I think that might be a little difficult, but no doubt he believes that he would do a better job. Certainly, Mr Hockey on the surpluses has said to the Australian people, as the most senior economic spokesperson for the coalition, that he wants to run down the surpluses. He wants smaller surpluses in order to fund tax cuts. That is what your senior economic spokesperson has said, Senator Cormann. I suggest if you are concerned about that, Senator Cormann, perhaps you ought to have a discussion in shadow cabinet— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong, resume your seat. Wait a minute, Senator Cormann, I know you are on your feet. I am getting interjections on both sides, Senator Cormann—your side as well as the other side—so it makes it very difficult for you. Senator Cormann: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Again, it is in relation to the requirement for the minister to be directly relevant. Even on the most generous interpretation of the requirements to be directly relevant there is no possibility of saying that the minister has been in any way directly relevant to the question that was asked, which was to what extent the cost of implementation of the carbon tax will put the budget surplus at risk. She has not gone anywhere near that particular question and I would ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question asked. The PRESIDENT: The minister has 28 seconds remaining to answer the question. Senator WONG: The point I am making in relation to the budget surplus is that we on this side are committed to budget surpluses. We will ensure that they are delivered by making the savings and delivering the savings. To come into this place, when the shadow Treasurer has made clear that your policy is to run down the surpluses, and pretend that that is not relevant to a surplus discussion just shows that rational economic policy has deserted your side. (Time expired)