Mr CREAN —We could have learned about the increase in air fares from the GST. My question—

Mr SPEAKER —The Deputy Leader of the Opposition does not have the call. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wishes to ask a question, he will go straight to the question.

Mr CREAN —My question is to the Minister for Finance and Administration, again representing the Treasurer. With the GST impact on products such as insurance premiums, advertising, petrol, car prices and air travel—just to repeat the point—set to increase well beyond your predictions, how can you continue to claim that your GST calculations are valid? Have you received advice on the inflation impact of the revised GST package? What is that impact? Do you now expect the CPI to increase by more than the 1.9 per cent you originally promised?

Mrs Irwin —Page 10, paragraph 2.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Fowler!

Opposition members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Fowler is warned. I call the Minister for Finance and Administration.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Fowler has been warned. I will tolerate no further interjections.

Mr FAHEY (Finance and Administration) —There was adequate information and data provided by the government accompanying A New Tax System at the time of its release and adequate further information given as to the modelling that was done in terms of the inflationary impact on that new tax system. The government has continually supported the inflationary impact that it has asserted in respect of a new tax system, and that, of course, is a complete system of which the GST is in fact one component. The government stands by the inflationary impact that it has stated will flow from the new tax system. Any attempts on the part of the opposition to suggest—

Mr Crean —I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It goes to relevance.

Government members interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The chair has deliberately allowed all members to elaborate on the question of relevance. I will allow the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to do so, but it is very difficult for me to imagine any area in which in the last 50 seconds the minister has said anything other than something relevant to the question.

Mr Adams interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Lyons is warned. I have had quite enough of the behaviour of members on both sides of the House in this question time. I will now extend a good deal more leniency to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition than is obliged by the standing orders, and I expect that courtesy to be reciprocated.

Mr Crean —My question said, `Has he received any revised advice from Treasury on the inflation impact?' So it is not what you are standing by but whether there has been advice received from Treasury.

Mr SPEAKER —The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat.

Mr FAHEY —I repeat again that the government stands by its statements in respect of the inflationary impact of A New Tax System. As far as I am aware, no further information has been provided to suggest that what we have stated previously is not the situation at this point in time.