Bob Katter (Kennedy, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

For those of us who come from rural Australia, and on my father’s side I belong to a family that have lived on the frontiers of Australia for 120 or 130 years, we speak with some authority. Whilst I have had cattle for almost all of my adult life, I come from a family very experienced in businesses that serviced the cattle industry but were not directly involved with cattle. Whilst the businesses we had would not fit within this criterion, I applaud the government for taking this initiative. It is one that has needed to be undertaken for some time.

It would appear from my reading of the minister’s speech and the legislation itself, the Farm Household Support Amendment Bill 2007, that this only extends to 30 June 2008. I cannot for the life of me see why the good principle that is espoused here is concluding then—and the minister is looking at me here and I would like clarification if that is in fact incorrect. I find it misleading, and I notice in the minister’s speech that the date is 2008. It is not a matter for giggling at me.

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