George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order, you have given the minister latitude to address the background of the government's considerations of the various criteria that go into its decision making. The question was specific: whether the three per cent real increase was still the policy of the government. In the two seconds remaining, the minister can answer that question—yes or no. The opposition accept the latitude you have given the minister to paint the context, but we have not had an answer. There is time for there to be an answer, and I ask you to direct the minister, in the time remaining to him, to tell us whether it is the government's policy or not.