Senator BOB CARR (New South Wales—Minister for Foreign Affairs) (14:01): I am delighted to answer the question, and I thank the senator for it. I do not know as a general rule, but I can only speak about my 10 years heading a government in New South Wales, during which time I can assure the Senate that there was never a single finding of lack of probity or propriety against me or my ministers—not one. Moreover, there was not even an allegation in all those question times over 10 years—all those question times in the bearpit of the New South Wales parliament, regarded as the toughest in Australia. There was not even from the state coalition in opposition all those years, day after day of question time, a single allegation against me on the grounds of probity or propriety. Senator Fifield: Mr President, a point of order on relevance: my question was very specifically in relation to whether the choices of minister by a head of government help to create a climate which is conducive to corruption. Senator Chris Evans: Mr President, I rise on the point of order to make the point that the question, in my view, did not actually go to the minister's responsibilities as the Minister for Foreign Affairs in this chamber and if the opposition seek to use question time to try and smear people, rather than direct questions on policy to the minister, they will get the sort of reply they are getting. Senator Brandis: Mr President, on the point of order: the question was about 'the minister's extensive dealings with foreign heads of government'. That was the entire premise of the question. The PRESIDENT: I am listening to the minister's answer and he does have 57 seconds remaining. I do draw the minister's attention to the question and the minister has now got 56 seconds. Senator BOB CARR: In dealing with foreign heads of government, I naturally reflect the experience I had as head of government for 10 years, so that is there, and, as I said, not a finding in 10 years, not even an allegation from the state coalition, which sat there every question time never making an allegation of impropriety—not one. Senator Fierravanti-Wells: How can you say that? You know that is not true. You know that is not true, Bob. Senator BOB CARR: I might say the senator over there was making a grovelling apology for inaccuracies she relayed to the Senate. She got up yesterday to do it and I have never seen a more grovelling or embarrassing apology from the senator there: 'Oh, Mr President, I'm sorry I said this. Oh, I got this wrong. Oh dear, I got this wrong.' I didn't even read her speech, so goodness knows what other inaccuracies would come to the surface if anyone actually read it. (Time expired)