Senator KIM CARR (Victoria—Minister for Human Services) (14:41): I thank Senator Fierravanti-Wells for her questions. I can indicate that there will be a meeting held at four o'clock today at the Wyong council to discuss whether or not it will be putting forward further applications in regard to the centre that the senator has asked me about. We do know that the usual communications have occurred between local members of parliament and ministers in regard to progress on projects in their electorates. However, I can assure the senator that the applications have been assessed independently by the department and the capital works program management firm that has been engaged by the department in accordance with the guidelines and, of course, the provisions of the Commonwealth financial framework act. There has been no suggestion to the contrary that I can see. I repeat, the Wyong Shire Council is calling a meeting at four o'clock today, as I understand it, to decide whether or not work on the Central Coast Group Training joint submission for the establishment of a youth centre will proceed. The government takes the view that parties involved in this matter ought to be able to work together in the interests of young people in the region. The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Carr, resume your seat. Senator Fierravanti-Wells. Senator Fierravanti-Wells: Mr President I rise on a point of order on relevance. I gave notice to Minister Carr that I would be asking questions on this matter. I asked him two specific questions: did the member for Dobell write to Minister Garrett on 20 July making allegations about the interaction between Central Coast Group Training and DEEWR and did the member for Dobell recently request of Mr Garrett or his office that DEEWR change their program guidelines and allow for an extension of time so that the council could prepare its own application? They were very specific questions, Mr President, and I would ask you to direct the minister to answer them. The PRESIDENT: I cannot direct. Senator Evans. Senator Chris Evans: Mr President, on the point of order, I make the point that Senator Fierravanti-Wells sending the minister her question before question time does not in any way change his responsibilities to the Senate. His responsibility is to provide information available to him that is relevant to the question. Senator Carr has been absolutely relevant to the questions asked of him. Senator Fierravanti-Wells may be trying to prosecute a case by abusing a member of the other place but that does not mean Senator Carr has to do anything other than meet his normal responsibilities. Senator Brandis: On the point of order, Mr President: Senator Evans is correct that advance notice does not change the minister's responsibilities in answering the question. But it does make it less excusable for a minister to give a vague and blustering answer to a very specific question when he has been given advance notice of the specific question. It could not have been more specific: were one or other of two communications sent? Senator KIM CARR: I rise on the point of order, Mr President, because I have more to say on the substantive question. It has been stated here on two occasions now, as it was yesterday, that advance notice was given on the specifics of a question. That is untrue—totally untrue. I want to indicate that, if the opposition seek to provide advice to the government about a question, they are entitled to do that, but it is untrue and it is misleading the Senate to make the assertions they have made. The PRESIDENT: That is now debate. The Senate knows that I cannot direct a minister how to answer the question. The minister, I believe, was answering the question, and the minister has 40 seconds remaining. Senator KIM CARR: Mr President, I have been answering the question directly with respect to the specifics. Has the member for Dobell written to the minister? I indicated yes and I have indicated that routine correspondence had been entered into. I have also indicated that, in terms of the application itself, further developments are occurring today—which might be of interest to Senator Fierravanti-Wells if she were actually interested in the project as distinct from pursuing her own personal vendetta against the member for Dobell. I make the point that the vendetta that is being pursued here is by the opposition against the member for Dobell. (Time expired)