QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:32): As I outlined in my earlier answers, what we are facing is the largest shock we have seen to global energy markets. This is an issue that is reverberating throughout the global economy, and countries across the world are grappling with it, which is why we continue to call on Iran to stop holding the— Senator McKim: You should tell the US and Israel to stop.

Senator WONG: Senator, I will take your interjection. I listened to you very carefully yesterday, and, even if you disagree with the conflict, you could at least call on Iran to de-escalate and to— The PRESIDENT: Minister Wong, please resume your seat. I have Senator Cash on her feet.

Senator Cash: I think it's pretty obvious it's a point of order in relation to direct relevance. It is the opposition's question, with all due respect. The PRESIDENT: I do appreciate it's the opposition's question, but, as you know, interjections can be taken, and— Senator Cash interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Cash, I try very hard to maintain order in this place, but, if senators interject, it's up to the minister to take or not take that interjection.

Senator WONG: I'm very happy to come back to the question; I'm just making the point—and I would have thought the opposition would agree—that it would be good if the Greens occasionally called on Iran to de-escalate. But I will come back to your question, Senator Liddle. It is a global shock to energy markets, and Australia is being affected.

We are taking action to seek to deal with it, and we will look at every practical measure that is required to shield Australia from the worst of this global uncertainty. The PRESIDENT: Senator Liddle, first supplementary?