QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (15:14): I should say as well that I'm advised by the minister's office in relation to that nine per cent figure that I used yesterday that the figure today is eight per cent, in relation to Senator Chandler's question. Since the beginning of the crisis in the Middle East, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy has been in daily contact with relevant fuel companies, and they've been sharing with government commercial-in-confidence information, and, in turn, the government has been sharing what it knows with those companies.

Over the last couple of weeks, companies have been telling the minister and the government that they've locked in supply until mid-April. What the government won't do is tweet out or release commercial-in-confidence information on a daily basis. On Saturday, the minister spoke to industry representatives and asked his department to confirm the ships that have been cancelled.

In a way that does not breach commercial-in-confidence, the minister provided the information in an aggregate way on Sunday's interview. The opposition could be, in this case— Senator Henderson: A point of order on direct relevance. My question was when the government became aware of the six cancelled ships.

The PRESIDENT: I'm aware of your question, Senator Henderson, and the minister is being directly relevant to your question. Senator AYRES: As I've indicated, the information that we've provided is information that we believe is in the public interest in a way that doesn't breach the commercial-in-confidence obligations that the minister has in those discussions.

And, as I've indicated, there are two ways that a party of opposition can conduct itself when there's a set of national challenges. One is to hector and to conduct a sort of hyperventilation and— Senator Paterson interjecting— Senator AYRES: I think maybe the real grievance politics, Senator Paterson— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Henderson, first supplementary?