Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I thought it was my National Party colleagues cheering me on! Indeed—look at them—they are! The National Party is coming up with the policies for rural and regional Australia. We are absolutely making sure that we're committed to helping those drought-stricken farmers.

At the end of the day, it's all about delivery on the ground for those communities. It's not about who gets the credit in this place; it's about actual delivery on the ground, like 122 councils receiving $1 million of support so that they upgrade their memorial hall. The other day I was in Weddin Shire in Grenfell, seeing new horse stables and new horse stalls built at the local showground. Councils can ensure that the local rugby league field has water. At the moment, the rugby field is as hard as this dispatch box. Next year, thanks to that $1 million drought communities support program, it's going to be as green as the leather on the chairs that we're all sitting on, and that's a great thing. These drought-stricken communities want to see us talking about them, not about each other.

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