DOCUMENTS

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (15:06): The documents in relation to this order for the production of documents are being processed in the usual way, as is outlined in Minister O'Neil's letter to the Senate of 26 November. There are a substantial number of documents that may be in scope. It is important that these documents are considered in a thorough manner, particularly given the expansive scope of the order, which goes to a period of almost 12 months.

The government, having an eye on the work of the many public servants who are engaged in the work of complying with these orders for the production of documents by various senators—Senator Bragg and Senator Payman and 'senator ChatGPT'—generating these enormous volumes of material— Senator Watt: You need your own renewable energy power. Senator AYRES: As I said yesterday, people worry—as Senator Watt was pointing out—about the amount of power that's going to be required to electrify industry and to support these data centres.

The amount of power and staff that need to be engaged in complying with these vanity exercises, these vainglorious efforts for relevance from people who otherwise— Senator Bragg interjecting— Senator AYRES: Senator Bragg sought a congratulatory letter the other day. Senator Payman's proposed order requires ministerial submissions, records of conversation, letters, briefing notes, meeting agendas, file notes, meeting invitations, meeting notes, meeting minutes, emails, instant messages and electronic messages.

That is a list generated by artificial intelligence right there that just betrays the complete lack of—oh, it's sensitive soul old Braggy on his feet again. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Minister, we don't need commentary. Senator Bragg: Point of order, Deputy President.

I believe the minister was impugning Senator Payman by promoting an idea that perhaps she hadn't done her own work. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Bragg, that's not a point of order. Minister.

Senator AYRES: Work—you wouldn't know the meaning of it. Opposition senators interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Minister, let's stick to the topic. Senator Bragg: You're very sensitive.

Senator AYRES: I actually care about the people who work for a living—a concept that may be foreign to you, Senator Bragg—in the department, who are working every day to comply with these vainglorious and ridiculous orders for the production of documents. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Minister, resume your seat. Senator Henderson.

Senator Henderson: Deputy President, on a point of order, I would ask that you ask the minister, who's being most disrespectful, to withdraw that comment. On a second point of order, on a number of occasions—most recently, a couple of minutes ago—he has not referred to senators by their correct name, so please address that. The PRESIDENT: I will remind the minister to refer to senators by their correct name.

If a senator has been offended, I'll ask the minister to withdraw the comment. I'm not entirely sure, to be honest, exactly what's being asked to be withdrawn, but if you have offended a senator— Senator AYRES: If you asked me to withdraw—even though we're not quite sure what we're withdrawing—I withdraw it unreservedly. Senators over there don't understand their responsibilities to the parliament, but there are, in this portfolio alone, 3,995 pages worth of documents.

That is the entire length of the normal edition of The Lord of the Rings three times over—sought by people who will never read it, who have never opened any of this material in their lives. It's four times the length of Odgers' 14th edition—sought by people who've never opened it. I have to correct the record for yesterday.

I did say that it was eight times the length of Senator Bragg's latest self-published book—and that was very unfair. It's 16 times the length of Senator Bragg's self-published book. The truth is, what is this all about?

It's this anxiety and antipathy from Senator Payman and Senator Bragg, who don't want young people to be able to access five per cent deposits. They're hostile to the interests of young Australians who want to get a foot on the ladder. That is a disappointing attitude, but it's the kind of attitude that's consumed the Liberal Party for its whole life, and it's the only strain of consistency that you can see amongst them.