Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

I just thank the minister for his courtesy and his commitment in returning to me the drought. I might just ask him to add some information. It is very hard to derive just from the budget papers what the program is costing the government. The government is borrowing at the bond rate and charging between three and four per cent. So what will the various programs actually cost the government, taking into account, of course, provision for doubtful debts and administrative and other fees? I was going to ask him some questions about FIRB threshold changes and charges, but out of respect for the hour and the House I will leave those for another day.

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