QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator McCARTHY (Northern Territory—Minister for Indigenous Australians) (14:34): Thank you, Senator Thorpe, for the question. You would certainly know what we've been doing in terms of the National Indigenous Australians Agency and my role, with the 800 pages of the OPD that we've provided to your office. And you can see from those 800 pages what we have done.

Senator McKenzie interjecting— Senator McCARTHY: That's funny? Totally inappropriate! Not for those families—come on!

There are 15 families, 15 homes in Mount Isa— Honourable senators interjecting— Senator McCARTHY: Come on! This is in your state. There are 15 families in Mount Isa, and you laugh?

Senator McKenzie: Point of order! The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, I have reminded you before: you do not yell point of order and then stand. You stand and I ask you why you are standing.

Senator Mckenzie? Senator McKenzie: Point of order. Any indication from the minister that I was laughing at her answer is incorrect, and I'm not going to have it reflected that I was somehow laughing— The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, resume your seat.

That is not a point of order, and you know it very well. Please resume your seat. Minister McCarthy, please continue.

Senator McCARTHY: Yes, there are many families in Mount Isa who are very concerned about their future, and I am certainly working with those families to see what we can do. This is not a situation in terms of my role in the Commonwealth—what I have tried to do is try to find how we can assist these families with a debt that is not their debt. It is a debt that, unfortunately, has come about through what we may see as perhaps illegal behaviour.

There is a process under way through ORIC to investigate and to have a good look at what must be done in coming days and weeks. For the families, I know that they know that I'm doing my best to try to assist them with their homes. The PRESIDENT: Senator Thorpe, first supplementary?