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

Well St George is close enough. 'Possibly in Queensland but more likely in Sydney'—that was it. What have we had all the time the Labor Party have been in opposition? Where is the ardent investigation of alternative forms of policy? We have had nothing but commentary and derision. They have never been able to table a policy that shows some respect to the people they are supposed to be representing. Let us look at what we have done. Even in the drought they managed to give out eight concessional loans. That is how many they got out. We have delivered 551 concessional loans. With the interim farm family payment they had managed to successfully deliver 367 across the nation. We have had over 5,000 people get access to the farm household allowance.

It is not only looking at the core constituency and making sure that our commodity prices are at record levels; it is looking after those people on the edge. We have been doing both. As we speak coming back into our office is the plan for dog fences so we can rid many areas of the western districts of a scourge that will not allow us to repopulate those areas with sheep. That is happening as we speak. As we speak we are getting a policy so the epicentre of the drought gets a stimulus package. That is happening as we speak.

As we speak we are developing new markets. Today we have tabled the free trade agreement with China. As we speak we are investigating greater ways to get further exports of kangaroo meat so we can take some of the pressure off the pastoral districts. We know that one of the only ways you can deal with an exploding kangaroo population is to find a market for kangaroo meat, and we are doing that. That is what an effective government does. I take the laurel of being the Minister for Agriculture incredibly seriously. It is one of the most significant policies that the coalition can have. We wish it were the case that that desire and quest were held on both sides of the House, but they are not. What we see is commentary and derision against real policy and delivery of outcomes. I commend these bills to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

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