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

My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. Is the minister aware that in just six years Australia has become a net importer of pork, fruit and vegetables, and seafood? Would the minister not agree that this month’s soaring Australian dollar and the announcement of the Murray-Darling cutbacks will further reduce our food production by between five and 15 per cent? In light of this urgent need to stave off food dependency on foreign imports, could the minister: (1) increase the government pressure to commence the Pentland solar biofuels project in the north Australia clean energy corridor; (2) assure a continuation of the interdepartmental task force preparation of a cabinet submission on microwater projects for the development of Northern Queensland’s Gulf and mid-west (Extension of time granted) and (3) commission senior departmental officers to address the issue of water usage in Australia’s north-east and north-west—the won’t-go-away Bradfield and Bridge schemes addressing the north’s unused 304 million megalitres and the south’s allegedly overused 83 million megalitres.

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