Senator CONROY (Victoria—Leader of the Government in the Senate, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Digital Productivity) (14:21): As I was saying before, Premier Campbell Newman must stop his dishonest political scare campaign. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Brandis, you can take your point of order, but I am going to draw the minister's attention to the question. The minister has been asked a question which he needs to address. Senator CONROY: Mr President, if you live in Queensland—and actually, you do, Mr President—you are well aware of the state of hospital funding. You are well aware of the record increases that the Commonwealth government has already provided to Queensland, and you, Mr President, would be well aware of the savage cuts that Campbell Newman, the Premier, has made in Queensland. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Brandis, you will be given the call when there is order—on both sides. When there is silence we will proceed. Senator Brandis: Mr President, on a point of order: the minister's answer is no more relevant to the question than it was when you directed him to answer the question. He was asked whether the government would reinstate the retrospective funding cuts in states other than Victoria. He is defying your ruling, and you should either sit him down or insist that he answer the question. The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order. The minister still has 25 seconds remaining. I am listening closely to the minister's answer and you are quite correct: early on in the piece I did draw the minister's attention to the question, and I draw the minister's attention to the question once again. The minister has 25 seconds. Senator CONROY: That is right. The premise of the senator's questions is that the federal government has been reducing funding to Queensland. This is false. Premier Newman is engaged in a deliberately deceitful campaign— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! If senators wish to debate the issue, the time is post question time. Senator Conroy, continue. Senator CONROY: Thank you, Mr President. Premier Newman should stop covering up his savage cuts. Four thousand— Senator Colbeck: Mr President, on a point of order: I am very interested as a senator for Tasmania to know if the $22 million cut from the Tasmanian budget under this program will be reinstated. I ask you to draw the senator's attention to the question. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Wong is seeking the call. She is entitled to be heard in silence. Senator Wong: Thank you, Mr President. On the point of order, I appreciate that those opposite might be embarrassed to be reminded about just how much has been cut from coalition states' budgets, but I submit that it is entirely relevant to the question about health funding. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! That is debating the issue. Time has expired for answering the question. I cannot draw the minister's attention to that question as time has expired.