Senator SINODINOS (New South Wales—Assistant Treasurer) (14:41): I thank the honourable senator for her question. I am aware of the data and what it shows. But the people opposite should ask themselves the question: why did they promise the Australian people a raft of spending—some $16 billion of spending—off the back of the rapidly-receding minerals resource rent tax? Why did they offer that? Why did they con low-income people and the schoolkids of Australia and say that they would get their bonus and their low-income super contribution from the rapidly-receding minerals resource rent tax, which started life as a— Senator Moore: Mr President, my point of order is on relevance. The question was related to the issue and the answer so far has been about the mining resources tax—nowhere near the question. Senator Abetz: Mr President, on a point of order: the honourable senator opposite does not understand where the money was coming from and it just shows how embarrassingly inept this opposition is. The PRESIDENT: Order! I am going to rule there is no point of order at this stage. The minister still has one minute and 21 seconds remaining to address the question. I will listen closely to the minister's answer. Senator SINODINOS: There has to be context. There has to be context when you go to the Australian people and say, 'There is this great bounty coming from the mining resource rent tax'. Forty-five billion it was going to raise, then $26.5 billion. To date it has raised a net $400 million and that was going to fund, among other things, a low-income super contribution of over $3 billion. The maths does not add up. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! There is a debate going on across the chamber which is disorderly. If those people wish to debate the issue, the time for that is after 3 o'clock. I remind honourable senators on both my left and my right of that. Senator SINODINOS: This question has a further context. It comes from a party that, in government, increased taxes on superannuation by eight to nine billion. It also pared away the super co-contribution that we as a government had implemented during the Howard government. The PRESIDENT: Order! On my left. I understand Senator Moore is on her feet but it is very difficult to listen to the answer when people are constantly interjecting. Senator Moore: My point of order, again, Mr President, is about relevance. Senator Stephens's question was particularly about the location of the electorates where this impact was going to be. So far that question has not been answered. The PRESIDENT: The question was broader than that. I cannot instruct the minister how to answer the question. I believe the minister is addressing the question and the minister still has 33 seconds remaining. Senator SINODINOS: Labor was going to be using borrowed money—remember that?—to fund these measures after claiming it would raise the money through the mining tax. Senator Abetz interjecting— Senator SINODINOS: The people in those electorates, as my colleague Senator Abetz has reminded us, voted for the coalition and voted for these measures that we are putting forward today. Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! If people wish to use up question time by calling across the chamber, that is your prerogative, but it is disorderly. Senator SINODINOS: My colleagues in the National Party are supporting the budget consolidation we are talking about here. Senator Faulkner: Now you are misleading the Senate. Senator SINODINOS: No, Senator Faulkner, I am not. (Time expired)