Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Just in case anyone listening to this debate is not aware, the minister's previous answer was: it is up to the contractor to charge what the contractor charges, and the minister is not there to tell the contractor what he should charge. Minister, that is not an answer. Are you incapable of telling the truth in confirming that they are the two options? I take it, from your inability to answer truthfully to either Senator Birmingham or me on those two alternatives, that those options are correct, that the evidence given to the committee was correct.

I ask the minister then—and I again warn the minister that, if he is not going to listen to my questions—