Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I did, Member for Wakefield. Of course I did. It is jobs. You stick up for jobs in your electorate, as you should, as I do—any jobs. When it was announced, it was a dozen jobs. That might not mean much, but I tell you what, it is 12 large pay packets. It is 12 professionals. When 12 professionals of that ilk move into a city the size of Wagga Wagga—admittedly it is 66,000 people; it is a good sized city—they bring not just 12 large pay packets. Quite often they bring two or three kids, who go into the Catholic or public schools. They end up getting involved in school parents and citizens associations. They get involved in local Rotary clubs, Lions clubs and sporting groups. They contribute so much to our community. Not only was it a dozen jobs, Member for Wakefield, but, on 5 March it became 21 jobs, because there were nine additional jobs with that particular RIRDC. So there were 21 jobs in total. They will provide a very much welcome boost not just to Wagga Wagga but to the wider Riverina region.

Everyone in this place ought to know, because I have talked about it often enough—goodness knows the member for Barker has heard me say it often enough—that our region is a proud and productive agricultural hub. This commitment by the coalition government, by the Nationals in government, builds upon the region's leading agriculture research at places such as Charles Sturt University—what a marvellous institution that is—as well as ensuring more government agencies are on the ground in the regions and closer to the places where our food and fibre are grown and produced. When it comes to food and fibre, the Riverina is a leader.

Decentralisation is not just an abstract idea; it is a real priority for this government. It is a significant priority for the Nationals in government. The 10 February announcement is living proof of our election commitment being put into action, with a dozen jobs and then, on 5 March, an additional nine jobs—21 jobs in total.

The formerly Canberra based RIRDC is going to increase its regional presence. When I say 'formerly based', they will still have a presence in Canberra, in the nation's capital, but they will now be extending that to boost jobs and opportunities and prosperity in places such as Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, the electorate of the member for Parkes—what a wonderful representative he is—Toowoomba, the electorate of the member for Groom and other areas. These RDCs are focused on rural research, including grains, fisheries, aquaculture—small and emerging industries—and are taking advantage of the National Innovation and Science Agenda that this government is fostering, enhancing and making a significant financial contribution to. So it just makes good sense to locate them away from Canberra where the boots actually hit the dirt in their respective sectors. I am very pleased that 21 jobs are coming Wagga Wagga's way.

I listened carefully, as I said, to the member for Hunter's contribution. I did not hear him talk about foreign investment. Foreign investment is good—it made this country great and it continues to make this country prosper—but it has to be in the national interest. I have to say, when Labor has a policy to have $1,000 million being the trigger point at which the Foreign Investment Review Board would look into the foreign takeover of an agribusiness or farmland, I worry. The people I serve worry. The people I represent worry.

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