Senator WONG (South Australia—Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Finance and Deregulation) (14:29): The first point I make is in reference to one of the points made in that very long tirade by the former shadow minister for finance. Senator Abetz: This is coming from the former climate change minister. Senator WONG: Yes, I am the former climate change minister. I am now the Minister for Finance and Deregulation. Senator Joyce made a comment about the investment in the NBN. I do not know if he has looked at the policy of his friend Mr Turnbull, but Mr Turnbull is in fact promising to borrow almost as much for his plan—a plan for a network which would fall a long way short of providing an appropriate service, particularly to regional Australia. Senator Joyce interjecting— Senator WONG: From his interjections, though, I am confused at the moment as to where the senator's allegiances lie. Is he here representing Queensland or New South Wales? The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister will come to the question. Senator WONG: I will also make a point about the discussion—if you could follow it—that Senator Joyce was engaging in on gross debt. It reminded me why people regard Senator Joyce as the No. 1 ticket holder of the Tea Party here in Australia. The PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Wong, just come to the question. Senator WONG: The reason the Tea Party in the United States, we know— Senator Joyce: On a point of order, Mr President: we just want to know whether the finance minister is going to be responsible for extending our debt ceiling again tonight—for the fourth time in four years. Can she answer that? The PRESIDENT: Order! You have taken a point of order just after I had asked the minister to address the question. You need to address the question, Minister. Senator WONG: Mr President, reference to the Tea Party is entirely relevant—because the logic of the gross debt question the senator has asked is precisely that of the Tea Party. I have to apologise to Senator Bernardi. He, of course, would like to be the No. 1 ticket holder for the Tea Party in Australia. That makes Senator Joyce the No. 2 ticket holder. The point is that the irresponsible Tea Party scaremongering we have seen in the United States congress is mirrored in the bloke who wants to be the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Even the Liberals are going pale at that prospect. Well may he stand up—their heads are down. Senator Joyce: Mr President, I rise on a point of order. I thank the minister for her endorsement. But, apart from that, we just need to know: are you and your incompetent government going to extend the debt ceiling once more? The PRESIDENT: Order! That is not a point of order. Senator Joyce: It is one of relevance. Are you extending the debt ceiling? Senator Conroy: Re-asking the question is not a point of order. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has seven seconds remaining. Senator WONG: I will be very happy, in responding to Senator Joyce's next supplementary, to suggest which graphs he should look at—perhaps one which compares Australia with the rest of the world.