Gavan O'Connor (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry claimed in question time today that I have made no public comment on drought. Since assuming this portfolio, I have issued 13 press releases relating to the failure of the Howard government’s drought policy, I have made several policy speeches to industry associations on drought matters and, indeed, I have launched the Labor Party’s policy specifically relating to drought.

The minister also misrepresented my position on farmers accessing assistance in EC declared areas. In that particular statement that I made to the press, I claimed that 13 per cent of farmers in EC declared areas actually receive assistance. That is information that we obtained from the minister’s department in Senate estimates. Given the minister’s performance on the mandatory code of conduct, farmers know who the liar is in this place.

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