Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

It was a stepping stone to oblivion to be the Minister for Agriculture in the Labor government. We had the oxymoronic concept wherein one of the most urbanised seats in Australia held the Minister for Agriculture, which at that time was Minister Burke, the member for Watson.

What was more important is that they more than halved the agriculture budget. They spent money everywhere else. There was one place they did find savings. They found savings in agriculture and almost decimated the department. It is beyond belief that one could compare the absolute apparent success that the government have seen in record prices in cattle, record prices in sheep, close to record prices in wool, strong prices in cotton, three free trade agreements—and I commend the work of Minister Robb—six new live animal destinations and protocols in place. Since the GFC I think there has been a 36 per cent increase in our exports of rural produce. These are the actions of a competent government. It is like Sir Christopher Wren said: if you want to see our memorial, have a look around any saleyard you like and you will see how we are going, you will see what we are delivering.

Opposition members interjecting—

I can assure you that I have seen alternative policies of the previous government that were able to decimate large swathes of agriculture in Australia. One would say that would be difficult, but the Labor government managed to do it. What we have seen on our side, even in the most recent budget, is the capacity to concentrate on agriculture. The former Treasurer, Mr Swan, I do not think, ever, in his budget speeches mentioned the word 'agriculture'. If you do the word search in his budget speeches—

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