Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (13:59): The government have been completely upfront with Australians about there being an impact on prices as a result of the CPI increase of 0.7 per cent that the carbon price will give effect to—an amount which is significantly less than the impact on the CPI of the GST, which I am asked about, when it was first put in place. These factors are what have driven the calculation of the government's assistance package, which we have gone through ad nauseam in this place. They include the fact that nine out of 10 households will receive some assistance through tax cuts and/or payment increases. Almost six million households—that is, two out of three—will get tax cuts or increased payments that will cover their entire average price impact. Senator Brandis: Mr President, I rise on a point of order that goes to relevance. The question was a narrow one. It had nothing to do with the compensation package. It asked whether or not consumers would be paying more GST. That is all. The PRESIDENT: The minister is answering the question. The minister has one minute and four seconds remaining. Senator WONG: I have been clear that there will be an increase in prices. We have indicated that. The Treasury modelling indicates that. We have been clear: food will increase by less than 0.5 per cent—on average $1 per week; electricity, $3.30 per week—on average 10 per cent; and gas, around $1.50 per week—on average nine per cent. The government will also be providing tax cuts: a tripling of the tax-free threshold—also to be opposed by the opposition, also to be wound back by the opposition, just as the opposition will be opposing and winding back the increase to pensions, the increase to disability support pensions— Senator Brandis: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. The question, as I pointed out in my earlier point of order, was only directed to whether or not the GST would increase. You allowed the minister to proceed because she had one minute and four seconds to go. She now has five seconds left. She has not addressed the question either directly or indirectly. She can answer the question, yes or no, in the remaining five seconds and I ask you to direct her to the question. The PRESIDENT: Senator Brandis, I cannot instruct the minister how to answer the question. You may well phrase your question in a particular way and expect a particular answer. But I cannot instruct the minister to answer in the way in which you may wish the answer to be constructed. I believe the minister was answering the question and I ask the minister to continue. The minister has five seconds remaining to answer the question and I ask the minister to address the question. Senator WONG: As I was saying, we have published full details of the price impacts of the carbon price.