Senator BOB CARR (New South Wales—Minister for Foreign Affairs) (14:35): When all allowances are made that this is the end of the parliamentary session, it has been an exhausting week, the questions have been used and misused and it has been a tactical disaster for those opposite for two or three sitting weeks—a tactical disaster—and that we know that oppositions get to the bottom of the barrel towards the last sitting days, I cannot help the honourable senator. I have no idea whether Mr Craig Thomson is chairman of that group. He could be— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Bob Carr, resume your seat. Senator Macdonald? Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. We have had this minister for 30 seconds, half the allotted time, giving a critique on the questioner and going nowhere near answering. Mr President, you have to stop these people treating question time as a joke. Senator Jacinta Collins: Mr President, on the point of order: if Senator Macdonald had listened rather than jump in the way he had he would have heard the minister answering the question. He stands up and refers to 'these people' in a point of order that does not respond— Senator Abetz: What's your point of order? Senator Jacinta Collins: I am responding to the point of order, Senator Abetz. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order on both sides! Senator Collins, continue with your point of order. Senator Jacinta Collins: Thank you, Mr President. The minister was quite reasonably responding to the nature of what was an absolutely ridiculous question talking about parliamentary friendship associations in relation to South Korea, and any suggested role of Mr Thomson is absolutely ludicrous. Unfortunately, Senator Macdonald shows again, as have other senators in the last couple of days in this end of session, that they simply cannot hear what is occurring in the chamber. The PRESIDENT: This is debating the issue now. Senator Jacinta Collins: The minister was answering the question. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister was answering the question and the minister still has 31 seconds remaining to address the question, if he so chooses. Senator BOB CARR: Mr President, let me confess that I was under the impression that the member was president of another friendship group, and that is the North Korean friendship society, spending his time going to folk dancing festivals in Pyongyang and tours of gulags in that benighted country. I do not know—how would I know?—who is chair of the North Korean friendship group. An honourable senator: She told you! Senator BOB CARR: Well, I cannot take her at her word. As far as I am concerned, it could be a fiercely contested position. (Time expired)