QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:48): Senator, what I would say to you is that you are a demonstration of the way in which ideology, in short— Senator McKenzie: Don't reflect on the senator! Senator WONG: We had coal-fired power stations exiting with no plan for more supply. No plan for more— The PRESIDENT: Senator Canavan?

Senator Canavan: I'll take two points of order, on relevance and on personal reflection. The minister was asked about mining— Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: I'm sorry, Senator Canavan; I can't hear you. Senator Canavan: I don't think that was my fault.

The PRESIDENT: Please start again. Senator Canavan: I have two points of order, on relevance and personal reflection. The minister was asked about mining investment and went straight to reflecting on me.

I think the people who work in mining— The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Canavan. Senator Canavan: deserve an answer about why investment is going to zero. Senator Ayres interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Minister Ayres, you will withdraw that comment.

Senator Ayres: I withdraw. Senator Canavan: Can he repeat it? The PRESIDENT: Senator Canavan, I have checked with the Clerk, but it is also my view there was no personal reflection, and the minister is being relevant to your question.

I would invite the minister to continue—to be heard in silence. Senator WONG: Senator, I wasn't intending it as a personal reflection. It's an observation about the way in which the views of One Nation and parts of the National Party have ensured that we saw power exiting the system with no plan to bring more power into the system.

When we came to government, that was the situation with which we were dealing. It was brought about because of an ideological position that you and others—led, in many ways, by Senator Hanson—have expressed, which is: you like only some forms of energy, not others, and you don't recognise— (Time expired)