Senator LUNDY (Australian Capital Territory—Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Sport) (14:46): The underlying principle of no advantage is the most important recommendation of the Houston expert panel, and this principle provides that people who arrive in Australia by boat should not receive an advantage, in terms of receiving a permanent visa, over those who are waiting— Senator Cash: Mr President, I rise on a point of order and I refer to the sessional standing order on relevance. Whilst I appreciate that the minister has been going for but a few seconds, she is either reading the wrong brief or cannot answer the question. I did not ask about the Houston report. I did not ask about the no-advantage test. I have asked quite specifically: what is the cost of the new measures announced by the government yesterday? Senator Jacinta Collins: Mr President, on the point of order: I think we are about 16 seconds into the answer, and Senator Lundy is obviously describing what she has been asked to cost and should be allowed to continue with her answer. The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister has still one minute and 44 seconds remaining to answer the question. At this stage I am listening to the answer of the minister, and the minister needs to continue with the answer. There is no point of order. Senator LUNDY: I think it is incredibly important to place these questions in context and, as I was saying, the no-advantage test is incredibly important. Consistent with no advantage, just as people who are on Nauru and Manus Island do not receive work rights, people on bridging visas in Australia will also not have the right to work, and they will still be subject to potential future transfer to Nauru or Papua New Guinea at a date when increased capacity becomes available. Prior to their release from detention, people granted bridging visas—even those subject to the no-advantage principle—undergo a needs assessment to determine their level of support in the community. People will then be provided with support under the Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme— Senator Cash: Mr President, I again raise a point of order in relation to the Senate sessional order on relevance. Whilst I appreciate that the minister is merely the acting minister, again the minister is either reading out the wrong brief, which she does on a regular basis— The PRESIDENT: Order! That is not a point of order. Senator Cash: Well, I would ask you, Mr President: I have asked a very simple question; it is in relation to the additional costs of the government's announcement yesterday. It is a very simple question. The PRESIDENT: Order! That is arguing the point. The minister has 53 seconds, and I do draw the minister's attention to the question. Senator LUNDY: As I was saying: prior to their release from detention, people granted bridging visas, even though subject to the no-advantage principle, undergo a needs assessment to determine their level of support in the community, and people will then be provided with support under the Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme and, if necessary, the community assistance scheme. The costs of these arrivals and of implementing the Houston report were included in the MYEFO— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senators, you are asking to hear the answer. I cannot hear the answer because of the interjections on my left. I believe that the answer was about to be given. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: No—the answer that you— Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Order! It is very hard if there are continuous interjections to get the answer that is coming forth. Senator LUNDY: Those across the chamber who bothered to listen heard that I just said that the cost of the higher number of arrivals and implementing the Houston report were provisioned for in the MYEFO. In fact, the funding includes a provision for some IMAs to have their protection claims assessed while living in the community on bridging visas and receiving basic accommodation assistance, which I am very happy to go through in detail— Senator Brandis: Mr President, on a point of order: you have directed the minister to the question once. We have been very patient. She has eight seconds to go. We acknowledge that a minister is entitled to provide context, but she was asked only: 'What is the cost of the measures announced yesterday?' An answer on what is in the MYEFO arising from the Houston recommendations is not a response to the question, 'What is the cost of the measures announced yesterday?' Mr President, there is no time for any more context. We are asking for the cost of the measures announced yesterday. Senator Chris Evans: Mr President, on the point of order: that is a complete nonsense. If the opposition were not shrieking during Senator Lundy's answer, trying to drown her out, they would have heard her address the cost of the community assistance scheme, and the costs that were provided in the MYEFO for dealing with assessing claims while people are living in the community. She was absolutely directly answering the question. And they probably could not hear the answer for the shrieking and abuse coming across the chamber while Senator Lundy was genuinely answering the question. The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order. I have been listening to the minister's answer. The minister is answering the question. The minister might not be answering it in the form or the way that was desired by the person asking the question, but the minister is answering the question. The minister still has eight seconds to continue the answer. Senator LUNDY: As I saying, provision was made in the MYEFO in the supplementary bills passed by the Senate on 19 November for the operational costs associated with these clients.