Senator IAN MACDONALD (Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government) (12:39 PM) —Again, I make my position clear. If there are questions on the bill before the Senate, I will answer them, as I did yesterday with Senator Forshaw's question. If Senator Mackay wants to waste the time of this Senate in asking estimates type questions, three of which she asked in the estimates not less than two weeks ago, then she can pursue that time wasting procedure. I will not be part of it. I invite Senator Mackay to ask me those questions either at estimates or at question time. Senator, you have not had a question at question time since 19 October last century, so you have a bit of goodwill there. You must get a turn every now and again, and that is some six months ago. Say that is 12 weeks here, say four days a week and that is 48 questions you could perhaps do in question time.

Senator Mackay —Why don't you answer the questions?

Senator IAN MACDONALD —I will answer them. I will answer any question you want at question time, Senator Mackay, because that is where they are asked. If you have questions about this bill, as Senator Forshaw did yesterday, I will happily, with the assistance of my advisers, answer those questions on the bill, as I did with Senator Forshaw. But, if what you want to do is rerun the estimates committee and ask questions—three of which you asked two weeks ago in estimates—and waste the time of the Senate, please go ahead but do not expect me to participate. So, if there are questions on the bill, I will happily answer them. I will happily answer them as I did with Senator Forshaw who, although he is not the shadow minister, had the intelligence to work out what a question is that relates to the bill. He asked the question about the Treasurer's powers which are referred to in the bill, he was given a response and I assume he was satisfied with that. Now, Senator, if you have questions on the bill, then you ask them and you will get a response. If you do not know what the bill says, please get some advice—from your senior minister, from the clerks or from your advisers—that can explain to you what the bill means, what we are debating and what the clauses are. But, if you want to ask questions about whether the ACCC can investigate councils, that is not mentioned in this bill, Senator. That is not.

Senator Mackay —But the GST is involved.

Senator IAN MACDONALD —The answer is quite clearly yes, but it is not mentioned in the bill. It is not mentioned in the bill and I am not going to participate in pursuing estimates type questions here. There is a procedure where you can do that. I do not know how the Labor Party run their question time procedures, but I would say you have 48 opportunities to ask questions at question time.

Senator Mackay —On a point of order, Mr Temporary Chairman: the minister is clearly attempting to talk this out. This is an absolutely pathetic attempt to talk this out. He does not want his bill to go through.

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN (Senator Bartlett)—That is not a point of order, Senator.

Senator Mackay —Okay, on a further point of order: Mr Temporary Chairman, are the five questions I asked the minister out of order in relation to this bill?

The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN —It is not my role to order a question in or out of order. It is for the minister to respond as he chooses.

Senator IAN MACDONALD —Thank you, Mr Temporary Chairman. I am desperate to get this bill through, so is every council in Australia. All 700-odd councils are desperate to get this bill through. The Labor Party have indicated they are in favour, the Democrats have indicated they are in favour, and the bill should pass so that those 700-plus local councils can get their financial assistance grants. Instead of that, the shadow minister persists in asking estimates type questions that have absolutely nothing to do with this bill. There is a minute to go—no party has any objection, we can finish the committee stage, get the bill passed in the next 60 seconds and get the money out to councils in Australia.