Senator CONROY (Victoria—Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity) (14:16): We have Clive Palmer out there opposing the mineral resource tax and donating massively to those opposite—he flies Senator Brandis around in his plane; he flies Senator Joyce around in his plane. You thought I had forgotten you, Senator Joyce. Senator Brandis interjecting— Senator CONROY: I may have been unfair to Senator Brandis, but Senator Joyce certainly knows what the inside of Mr Palmer's plane looks like. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. I did not ask the minister to give an account of Mr Palmer's travel arrangements. I asked him whether he thought it was appropriate for a leader of a political party in this chamber to be advocating preferential treatment for a significant donor to his party. That is what I asked the minister; I asked the minister whether that was appropriate. The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. Senator CONROY: That is a shocking reflection on Senator Joyce, a shocking reflection. Senator Joyce should feel free to lobby on behalf of Clive Palmer's mining interests and oppose the mining tax as often as he wants. Senator Macdonald should not take shots at him like that. I know that up there the Queensland Nationals and the Liberals— Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. You cannot allow the minister to continue to disregard standing orders to have a rant of his own. I particularly asked for his view on the conflict of interest of Senator Brown and the Greens and I require his answer. The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. Senator CONROY: The only further thing that I will add is that Senator Macdonald is once again asking the government to predetermine the outcome of an inquiry that is underway. As I have said, it is an independent inquiry. It has independent terms of reference. It is working through its processes. We look forward to receiving that report and to the debate that will ensue. (Time expired)