Senator WONG (South Australia—Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (14:11): I am very happy to have a discussion about what is happening in the economy and to respond to Senator Brandis, because I think the thing that he will always fail to understand is this, that responsible governments have to deal with the economic circumstances that they are presented with. He might like to get up and make a joke out of these issues. He might like to get up and pretend the global financial crisis— Senator Brandis interjecting— Senator WONG: Mate, there is a reason you are the shadow Attorney-General: they know you don't know anything about economics. That is why you have got the job you have got. It is probably why you got the question you just got. But what I would say is this: responsible governments have to deal with the economic— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Wait a minute, Senator Wong. Order on both sides! Senator Wong. Senator WONG: As I was saying, responsible governments have to deal with the economic circumstances as they find them, including when they change, and we have been up-front for some time that, despite the fact this will cause the government some political pain—we understand that—we will not be diverted in the Labor task of putting jobs and growth first, because Labor has always done that and we will not be diverted. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Brandis, when there is silence on both sides I will give you the call. Senator Brandis: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. On the point of direct relevance, I have been very patient with the minister; I have even let go some very hurtful personal remarks. But the question was directed to one proposition: does the government stand by a statement made by the Treasurer last year? I ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question. Senator Jacinta Collins: Mr President, I rise on the point of order: Minister Wong is being directly relevant to the question. She has already highlighted that circumstances have changed—directly relevant to the question. Further than that, interjections from the other side referred to the global financial crisis, and Senator Wong is giving Senator Brandis a lesson on what has happened to the economy since then. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has 46 seconds remaining. I do draw the minister's attention to the question. Senator WONG: If Senator Brandis had listened to the Treasurer's press conference last year, he would know that we made clear that the hit on revenues— Senator Brandis interjecting— Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call. Senator WONG: The Treasurer has been up-front about the fact that there has been a very massive hit to revenues and that the government was of the view that it would not be economically responsible to chase revenues down. We will lay out in the budget tonight the choices we have made—the responsible decisions we have made—to protect jobs and ensure continued growth but also to make the right investments for Australia's future. The challenge for the opposition is whether they will ever tell Australians what their plans are. (Time expired)