Mr HOWARD (Prime Minister) (3:01 PM) —Mr Speaker, I seek the indulgence of the chair to add to an answer.

The SPEAKER —The minister may proceed.

Mr HOWARD —Now that the opposition has asked 10 questions, I would like to augment an answer given by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. He was asked a question by the member for Charlton. From recollection, the question implied that the government provided no financial help to counselling services, including Lifeline. I have been informed during the course of question time by the Department of Health and Ageing that, since 1997, $12 million has been provided for telecounselling initiatives, including Lifeline, Kids Help Line and Reach Out. I think they are marvellous services. There is no finer human service in—

The SPEAKER —The member for Banks! If the member for Banks has a point of order there is a facility under the standing orders; it is not sitting in his chair shouting, as he knows.

Mr Melham —Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. As you are aware, the Prime Minister has, firstly, breached convention and the standing orders by adding to an answer: the minister should have come to the dispatch box and added to it.

The SPEAKER —The member for Banks does not have a point of order.

Mr Melham —Also, the convention in terms of adding to an answer is not to engage in political debate.

The SPEAKER —The member for Banks! The member for Banks will resume his seat or I will deal with him. Before I recognise the Prime Minister, in response to the member for Banks I would point out to him that, had the Prime Minister in any way breached the standing orders, he would not have the call.

Mr HOWARD —That is quite right, Mr Speaker. I do not deserve the call if I breach the standing orders—of course I do not. The entirely non-political observation I was making was that Lifeline is one of the great human services this country has seen. I had the privilege of attending, last Sunday evening in the Central Wesley Mission, the 40th anniversary service of its establishment by the late Sir Alan Walker, a person I admired greatly but who I suspect did not agree with me on everything.