Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:50): I thank the senator for his question, which I got advised was on Twitter. So thank you for giving us pre-warning of the question. It does not make answering it any easier, but I do appreciate that at least my staff are on it. I personally have not yet mastered Twitter, and I am of the view that anyone over 20 should not play with it, but anyway. I neither tweet nor twitter. But the question obviously goes to the issue of Mr Julian Assange. As the senator would be aware, there have been some developments in matters concerning him today, where he has sought, as I understand, protection in a consulate in London. I understand that is designed to have him be considered for asylum in Ecuador. Senator Ludlam: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. My point of order is one of relevance. I did not mention Twitter in my question. I also did not ask for an exposition of what has occurred in London overnight. I am interested in the minister justifying the statements by senior members of the Australian government about the illegality of the work of WikiLeaks, and I ask you to draw the minister to that question. The PRESIDENT: I draw the minister's attention to the question. The minister has 46 seconds remaining to answer the question. Senator CHRIS EVANS: I was not trying to be unhelpful, but the senator did ask questions about this some time ago. This matter has been debated in the Senate previously by him and questions have been asked. I am not sure how seeking to again debate with the government or ask questions of the government about those issues, which I think are probably six months or a year old now, is particularly helpful. The government has continued to support Mr Assange by making sure he has proper consular assistance. What occurs in terms of the laws in other countries is obviously a question for them, but we continue to provide whatever assistance we can. (Time expired)