Senator LUDWIG (Queensland—Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister Assisting on Queensland Floods Recovery) (14:27): Can I say that the Australian government's new resource taxation arrangements, the MRRT, now apply to iron ore and coal extraction in Australia where profits exceed $75 million. The PRRT has also been extended to all Australian oil and gas projects. Senator Ian Macdonald: She asked you if Minister Ferguson was there! Senator LUDWIG: I will take that interjection. I did not know that you have joined the Greens, but thank you very much. It seems now that you are supporting their cause. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Ludwig, ignore the interjections. Senator LUDWIG: It is quite unusual for me to see that. I know they are up for a marriage again but it seems that you are putting yourself up as a— The PRESIDENT: Senator Ludwig, ignore the interjections; just address the question that has been asked by Senator Milne. Senator LUDWIG: I know you want to be a groom for the Greens, but that is a matter for you really. The MRRT revenue depends on a range of fluctuating elements, such as commodity prices, volumes and exchange rates. What I am doing, Mr President, is dealing with that part of the question that I can deal with, which goes to the MRRT. What I cannot do—which I will take on notice just to ensure that the interjector who is supporting the Greens understands where I am going, because he is apparently too slow to understand it. I will take that part on notice, because I do not have any prior knowledge as to what meetings Mr Ferguson might or might not attend. So I will take that on notice, but there were other elements of the question that I can answer, which it seems to me that Senator Ian Macdonald is too thick to follow. The second quarter of 2012 saw some of the heat come out of global commodity prices. The price of iron ore is now around— Senator Ian Macdonald: Mr President, I raise a point of order. I may be thick, but I am not corrupt like the Labor Party Ian Macdonald. The PRESIDENT: That is no point of order. Senator Bernardi: Mr President, on a point of order: Senator Ludwig should withdraw his reflection on Senator Ian Macdonald—the good Senator Ian Macdonald, not the bad Ian Macdonald from the New South Wales Labor Party. The PRESIDENT: That is not a point of order, Senator Bernardi. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: No. Order on both sides! Before we get into that: Senator Macdonald got up and used the word himself. That is the difficulty that I am now placed in. I would encourage all senators to show the due respect for each other that is warranted in this chamber. Senator Brandis: On the point of order, Mr President— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Just wait a minute, Senator Brandis. Order! When there is silence, we will proceed. Senator Brandis is on his feet wishing to take a point of order. Senator Brandis: Mr President, the day before yesterday, the Deputy President required me to withdraw a remark that Mr Wayne Swan was a dope, and I did. For the sake of consistency, Mr President, if I cannot call Mr Wayne Swan a dope—a self-evident proposition, Mr President—then I do not see how Senator Ian Macdonald can be allowed without objection to be called dumb. The PRESIDENT: Senator Brandis, there is no point of order at this stage. All honourable senators should refer to each other in the appropriate terms for this chamber and not stoop to anything else. Senator Ludwig, you have 23 seconds remaining to address the question from Senator Milne. Senator LUDWIG: Mr President, I recognise your words, and I am always happy to withdraw if I have overstepped the mark. One of the difficulties in the question is that I know that Mr Ferguson goes to a range of meetings. It is on the public record that he was at meetings. The question never went to which meeting, which is the part I will take on notice. The other part, of course, is dealing more broadly with the MRRT revenue. (Time expired)