Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for New England for bringing this matter before parliament today, and also for making very clear the tone that the debate should take in this discussion and future discussions on this matter in the House. I will first of all take issue with the member for New England. I do feel more than a bit ripped off. Within a couple of weeks of getting the portfolio, I spent three days in his electorate. I heard his entire speech today and realised I went to Tamworth, to Inverell, to Glen Innes and finished up at Armidale and never went to Walgett—not once!

See this speech in context