Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (14:28): I thank Senator Birmingham, who is a South Australian, for asking a question that is tangentially related to Olympic Dam— Senator Birmingham: I haven't seen any of your South Australian senators asking questions, Penny! Senator WONG: so third time lucky, Senator—third time lucky! It shows how important South Australia is in the tactics room! I am happy to discuss what Dr Kloppers has said. The first quote I will give you is this: the South Australian government, the federal government and all of the agencies that have worked with us to make this a reality have been absolutely wonderful partners to have, and I cannot put that in any stronger terms. The second point I would make is, again, that the MRRT does not apply to the output from Olympic Dam— Senator Birmingham: I didn't ask about that. Senator WONG: Well, perhaps you should let Tony Abbott know that, Senator. Perhaps you should let Tony Abbott know that, because he is the one— The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister Wong, you need to refer to people in the other place by their correct titles. Senator WONG: I apologise, Mr President: Mr Abbott. If the senator knows it does not apply, why does he stand next to the Leader of the Opposition while the Leader of the Opposition blames, amongst other things, the mining tax for the shelving of the Olympic Dam expansion? If you know it, why is it that you just stand by while he says things which are blatantly untrue? I am not surprised you are standing up. Senator Birmingham interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! You will get the call when there is silence. Senator Birmingham: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. There was one question only for a matter of direct relevance to this—one question only in the question I asked—and that was whether the application of the carbon tax had, as Mr Kloppers had indicated previously, created a higher cost environment for a company like BHP Billiton. The minister has not yet come close to the carbon tax and I would ask you to draw her to the direct relevance of the question. Senator Chris Evans: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. The senator referred to Mr Kloppers' public comments and referred to the context of the investment environment in Australia. Senator Wong has been responding to that directly by referring to other public comments of Mr Kloppers and referring to the investment environment, which is constantly being raised by those opposite, which involves also the MRRT. So Senator Wong is perfectly relevant to the question and is providing a comprehensive answer to that put by the senator. The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. Senator WONG: I again refer Senator Birmingham to the statement that the Leader of the Opposition declined to read, which was the announcement by Olympic Dam of this decision in which the reasons for the decision were referenced. I would also refer the senator to Mr Kloppers' statement in his teleconference where he indicated that the decision was almost wholly associated with, in the first instance, capital costs, which are not only an Australian issue. He also went on to describe the fact that the MRRT does not apply to the output of Olympic Dam, despite the fact that the opposition, including the senator, continue to put this out in the public arena. If the senator really was concerned about this issue, he should get on Adelaide radio and contradict the Leader of the Opposition.