Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Second Deputy Speaker, welcome back to the chamber. I rise to speak on this matter of public importance. As I do so, I am here to answer some of the criticism that has been levelled at the new Prime Minister in relation to his negotiations with the National Party, of which I am a proud member. It is much better to do a deal with the National Party—and that is under the longstanding arrangements that have always been in place for decades and decades with the coalition agreement—than it is to do a deal with the Greens and with the Independents, as happened after the 2010 election.

The agreement that the Nationals have signed with the member for Wentworth today underpins the relationship between the Liberal and National parties in the government going forward. The member for Wide Bay and the member for Wentworth have agreed on a broad range of key policy issues, including but not limited to maintaining the existing policies in relation to climate action, carbon taxes and emission reduction targets. That is important. Also, the transfer of responsibility for the water policy outcomes of the Department of the Environment and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to the agriculture portfolio. That is important. We had Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young wanting to take 6,000 gigalitres of productive water out of the Murray-Darling Basin system. We are putting it back where it needs to go and that is in the agriculture portfolio.

Also, ongoing funding for communications technology, including the mobile phone and television black spot programs. The parliamentary secretary at the table has done magnificent work in regional areas with the black spot program and that will continue in the government led by the member for Wentworth.

Also, the establishment of a new jobs program to address areas of high regional unemployment. Those over on that side do not care about the coalmines in Queensland. They do not care about unemployment in regional areas, but we do.

Also, a proper consideration by cabinet of amendments to the Australian Competition and Consumer Act to prevent abuse of market power and that will come as welcome news to many.

Also, support for the government's Infrastructure Investment Program, including the Nationals' commitment to the Inland Rail and the implementation of a plan to overcome financial barriers in accessing higher education for rural, regional and remote students. I well recall how those students were abandoned by Labor in the 43rd Parliament.

Also, support for the Nationals' commitment to the Northern Australia and Agriculture white papers and our dams implementation policies. We had a dams phobia over on the other side. We have had it for a long time, but we are in the process of identifying sites and, what is more, building dams to fill them with productive water for agricultural use.

Also, maintaining the existing policy to refer the same-sex marriage issue to a plebiscite of the people in our next term. We can think what we like about same-sex marriage, but we are going to give the people their say. And what is wrong with that?

Also, increased family tax benefit part B payments to stay-at-home parent families, with a child under the age of one being eligible. That is also important, because some people choose to stay at home and raise their families. And why not give them some relief? My goodness, Labor doesn't. It means that the Nationals are delivering for regional Australia, as we always will. It means that the member for Wentworth is prepared to see that the Nationals will continue to deliver for regional Australia. It means that the Liberal Party, unlike the Labor Party, does not make dodgy deals with suspect parties to get a broad range of policy and programs through. We saw what Labor did in the last term with the one Green member of parliament, the member for Melbourne. But we have seen today and last night the fact that the Liberals identify that regional Australia is important. We have seen that the National Party are always prepared to stand up for rural and regional Australians. That will continue. There are good regional Liberal members of government. They will benefit. All of regional Australia will benefit from the policies that we have been able to negotiate in this new coalition agreement. It is important.

This matter of public importance is an absolute nonsense inasmuch as it talks about jobs. Only 2,000 jobs a month were delivered under Labor. There are currently 21,000 jobs a month under the coalition government. We heard the Minister for Small Business say that bankruptcies are down to a 20-year low. We heard the Treasurer talking about the 75 registered cranes in Sydney's central business district and, if you count a kilometre of the CBD of Sydney, it is 165. We are getting on with the job of building a better Australia. The Nationals are getting on with the job of building a better regional Australia, and I am sure that the Turnbull-Truss government will continue to do that in spades.

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