National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:36): Thank you, Mr President. I'll pay for that later. My supplementary question to the minister is: by what mechanism is the commonwealth continuing the funding and making it available to the state without there being a signed agreement?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:36): Perhaps the honourable member's memory of how these things operate has evaporated since he took the opposition benches. We have funding available at state level that we are utilising.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: So it is not commonwealth funding now?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: It is not commonwealth funding.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: It is not commonwealth funding.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Correct.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, through me. Leader of the Opposition, do you wish another supplementary?

The Hon. K.J. Maher: No, no; she's provided nothing.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Scriven.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Can the minister and the opposition not carry on a private conversation. There are plenty of places outside this chamber.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister, don't try my patience. Leader of the Opposition, silence. You are showing gross disrespect to one of your frontbenchers.