Ms MACKLIN —My question is directed to the Minister for Family Services. Minister, given that you are willing to consider the nursing home owners' case for additional funding, does this mean that the government will finally agree to restore the funding that you cut from nursing homes or are you going to increase the size of the annual fee?

Mr WARWICK SMITH —I have already answered the question in my previous answer. But let me ask you a question: why was it that you took out of the capital for nursing homes more than $150 million in your last four years?

Mr Crean —Mr Speaker, on a point of order: ministers are required to answer questions, not ask them. If he is going to be allowed to ask them, can the member for Jagajaga have the opportunity to answer them?

Mr SPEAKER —Order! There is no point of order.

Mr WARWICK SMITH —As I was saying, you took over $150 million out of the sector in your last four years. You did nothing for the capital. Here it is again. Let me remind you of what you did for capital in the sector. You reduced it by 75 per cent. You have done nothing.

Ms Macklin —Mr Speaker, on a point of order on relevance: this has nothing to do with the question. Is the fee going to go up as a result of his changes?

Mr SPEAKER —Order! There is no point of order.

Mr WARWICK SMITH —It has everything to do with the question—the hypocrisy, the confected indignation which you have displayed throughout. How can you ask us about issues with regard to capital? We proposed a scheme. We varied a scheme which protects the family home. The family home is safe under our policy. What happened in your draft policy? There is not a word about a plan in here. There is not a word about capital. All it says is that it will be paid out of consolidated revenue—new taxes.

We remember the co-payment on Medicare. You were the architect—new taxes. What are you going to do—capital gains tax on the home? How are you going to fund it? Why don't you start giving answers instead of asking questions which are totally irrelevant?