Senator NASH (New South Wales—Deputy Leader of The Nationals in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Health) (14:37): I can inform the Senate again that all the appropriate steps were taken to ensure propriety was in place and that there was not and would not be a conflict of interest in relation to the role of my chief of staff and the company Australian Public Affairs. It was all done in a very thorough and diligent manner. Can I also point out to the Senate that it is typical of the opposition to attack individuals by imputing impropriety where none exists. Let me remind the Senate— Senator Wong: On a point of order, Mr President: I raise the issue of relevance. I did not ask about the conflict of interest. I asked a very simple question about date of approval of appointment by the Prime Minister and whether the Prime Minister was informed of the shareholding before or after the appointment. I did not ask about a conflict of interest. The PRESIDENT: The minister has one minute and ten seconds remaining. I draw the minister's attention to the question. Senator NASH: As I have informed the Senate, all of the appropriate processes and approval processes were put in place relating to the appointment of my chief of staff, and the typical tactic from the opposition— Senator Moore: On a point of order, Mr President: I raise the issue of relevance. Again we ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question, which was specifically on dates—nothing to do with an attack on what we are saying and nothing to do with admitting to what was happening in the process. The question was about the date on which those approvals were made. The PRESIDENT: With one minute and ten seconds remaining for the minister to address the question, I did draw the minister's attention to the question. The minister still has 50 seconds remaining to comply with the direction given. Senator NASH: I can advise the Senate that all information around my chief of staff was given to the Prime Minister's office in accordance with appropriate timing. Now, interestingly, we see yet again this attack on individuals from the opposition, rather than dealing with substantive policy issues. The substantive policy issues around the taking down of the website are those that instigated this line of questioning from the opposition. Senator Moore: On a point of order, Mr President: I again raise the issue of relevance to the specific question, with 11 seconds now remaining in the answer. The PRESIDENT: I have drawn the minister's attention to the question. The minister has 11 seconds remaining to address it. Minister, I again draw your attention to the question. Senator NASH: The opposition leader asked me about timing. I have informed the Senate that the appropriate advice was given in accordance with the usual timing procedures.