Senator O'NEILL (New South Wales) (14:24): My question is to the Assistant Treasurer, Senator Sinodinos. I refer to the Assistant Treasurer's responsibility for business law and practice and a statement of ministerial standards which demands that ministers, in their private conduct, must uphold the laws and demonstrate high standards of personal integrity. Can the Assistant Treasurer confirm he was a director of Australian Water Holdings and an office-bearer of the New South Wales Liberal Party at the time Australian Water Holdings was making major donations to the Liberal Party? Does the minister consider that this conduct merits referral to ASIC? Senator Abetz: Mr President, on a point of order: the question relates to matters that were clearly in the life of Mr Sinodinos, not Senator Sinodinos, let alone Minister Sinodinos. In short, the matters that the honourable senator seeks to trawl through this chamber have nothing to do— Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Abetz: Can you just stop for once? Mr President, the short point of order is this: all the matters raised by the honourable senator in her— Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Abetz: Does it ever stop? The point of order, very simply, is— Senator Wong interjecting— Senator Abetz: I know the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate is embarrassed that two of her questions were ruled out of order today. I suggest, Mr President, that you should follow and rule this question out of order as well—albeit clearly spoonfed to the senator by the leader, who is now clearly embarrassed. The PRESIDENT: Order! That is debating the issue. Senator Conroy: Mr President— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! I need silence on both sides. Senator Conroy. Senator Conroy: Mr President, on the point of order: clearly Senator Abetz did not listen to the question. The question was about certain corporate conduct and whether the matter should be referred to ASIC. It does not matter whether it was in the previous life of a senator; this is a matter relating directly to corporate conduct, and the minister has responsibility for corporate law. I ask you to dismiss the point of order and ask Senator Abetz to listen to the question in future. The PRESIDENT: Order! I have already made it clear that the minister need only respond to those parts of the question that pertain to his ministerial responsibility. In respect of the points of order, if there are parts of that question which the minister can address I invite him to do so.