Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:55): I thank the senator for his question. I think that Senator McEwen made the pertinent point that it is all very well to wear the T-shirt and say you support the NDIS; there is a question about whether you actually show that support and whether you actually commit funds to it. The reality now in Australian politics is that there is only one party in this country that is actually putting money up. I have listened to the opposition's Treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey, on the subject and he made it very clear that there is no commitment from the Liberal and National parties to fund this. So I will not be lectured by the senator about commitment to this scheme. What this government has done is commit $1 million to the trial phase—real money on the table—and as a result of that financial commitment, we have got support from the state governments, many of them coalition governments, for the first stage to go ahead. So we are not just mouthing the rhetoric, we are getting on making this work. We commissioned the report, we have responded to it and we have allocated $1 million to make sure that the first stage works. We have now reached agreement with New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory for launch sites. We have insisted, and they have responded, by putting real money on the table. Honourable senators interjecting— Senator Fifield: Mr President, on a point of order. My question was: how does the minister account for the discrepancy between the $3.9 billion the Productivity Commission said was necessary to deliver the first phase of the NDIS, and the $1 billion that the government has allocated? You cannot complete the first phase with almost $3 billion less than the Productivity Commission said was necessary. The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order. I believe the minister is answering the question. I am listening to the minister's answer. He has 30 seconds remaining. Senator CHRIS EVANS: Mr President, the senator would have more credibility if he said that the Liberal coalition were supporting the expenditure of $3.9 billion, but they are not. We responded to the Productivity Commission report by planning a first stage and funding that first stage. That is happening. That is being rolled out on the ground now and we have got even coalition states to come to the party and help fund this. I think that the senator ought to focus on supporting rather than trying to nitpick. (Time expired)