Damian Hale (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before I ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister a question on the portfolio expenditure now before the committee, I would like to support his comments and add my thoughts on the loss of the three servicemen in Afghanistan. As I have a large contingent of ADF personnel living in my electorate, it certainly hits home whenever these incidents occur where there is loss of life. My thoughts are with their families at this very sad time.

Parliamentary Secretary, I know the community cabinet meetings are a great opportunity for members of the local community to engage with cabinet. The meetings provide members of the public with an opportunity to ask questions of cabinet ministers on issues that are important to them. Have there been many meetings to date and where have they been? How many people have had that opportunity to attend the meetings? In my electorate of Solomon, people regularly approach me on issues that are important to them, such as the government’s investment in our health care through the National Health and Hospitals Network, infrastructure funding and the government’s investment in infrastructure in the Territory specifically. If the PM decided to hold a community cabinet meeting in the Territory, are these the sorts of issues we would have the opportunity to discuss with the Prime Minister and the cabinet ministers?

See this speech in context