Craig Emerson (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Competitiveness) Share this | Hansard source

I thank my friend the member for Moreton not only for the question but for his interest in the development and implementation of a complex sophisticated document, the white paper on Australia in the Asian Century, that sets out 25 pathways and objectives, and policies to achieve those objectives.

Developing responsible, well-considered policy is vitally important, and the Australian people expect it. I am asked about alternative approaches and there are, of course, alternative approaches. There was an alternative approach last week. We heard from the coalition that they want to move the people north. This week they want to move the water south. I guess that people will pass the water, the water will be coming down, the people will be going up and confusion will reign supreme.

In the last week we have heard stories of water, dams, ships, canals and leaks. Certainly that policy unit is leaking. It is a pipeline of leaks to the media as they test their wacky propositions. We heard from the minister for water just now about the confusion of water heights: whether they should be high, whether they should be low or whether they should be moving.

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