Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister Assisting on Queensland Floods Recovery) (14:59): Thank you. I can answer that part which, I gather from the Western Australian inference, was about wheat. When it comes to opposition— Senator Cormann: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I know that there has been some flexibility when it comes to the requirement to be directly relevant, but when there has not even been a question asked, how can the minister possibly be directly relevant to the question? The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. Could you at least get Senator Ludwig to tell us what the question is, so that we can understand his answer? The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. Senator LUDWIG: I have no doubt you will get the gist of it. Senator Brandis: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I suspect you did not quite hear what Senator Cormann was saying. No question was asked. There was not a supplementary question asked by Senator Sterle at all and, if you look at the standing orders, answers have to be to questions. If there is no question asked, there cannot be an answer given. The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. I have ruled on that. Senator Ludwig. Senator LUDWIG: Thank you, Mr President. I know that they are sensitive about this when the— Senator Abetz: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. If no question has been asked, how on earth, Mr President, are you going to rule whether or not the minister is being directly relevant, as is required under sessional orders? If you do not know what the question is, you will never be able to make a determination, and as a result Senator Ludwig will be able to talk about whatever he likes. He will do that anyway, I know, but, in fairness, Mr President, you should be indicating that, if no question has been asked, there clearly can be no answer to it. Senator Chris Evans: Mr President, on the point of order, it is the case that Senator Sterle was unable to complete his question as a result of the interjections which you had to call to order and which intervened in his ability to ask the question. But, Mr President, he started his question, and I think there was enough of it for Senator Ludwig to respond to that part of the question that was asked. I am sure he will do a good job in doing so. There is no point of order. The PRESIDENT: Order! I have already ordered that there is no point of order. I have asked Senator Ludwig to address the matter and the question that has been raised. Senator Brandis: Mr President, I am sorry— The PRESIDENT: Senator Brandis, I will go further. I have allowed these questions before when— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! I am making a statement. I have allowed these questions to stand before when others have asked questions, whether they be the primary question or the supplementary question. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Well, I invite you to go and read the Hansard record. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I seek leave to move a motion to give Senator Sterle extra time to actually ask the question. Leave not granted. Senator LUDWIG: When it comes to opposition policy, it does feel like history is repeating itself. The government is progressing the deregulation of the wheat industry, to continue to foster investment and drive exports. While Senator Joyce has already taken his leave, and Mr John Cobb is out there demanding the reinstatement of the single desk, the Liberals remain asleep at the wheel. The opposition do not know whether they are coming or going. Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on the question of direct relevance. Senator Ludwig is clearly not answering the question that Senator Sterle asked him, and I ask you to ask Senator Ludwig to be directly relevant to the question asked. The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order. Senator LUDWIG: They might laugh but they cannot hide the fact that— (Time expired)