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

I thank the member for Mallee for her question. She represents a large electorate in north-west Victoria, a third the size of that state, and she has been working so hard for her communities, so hard for those people who want health and economic outcomes. I commend her for her work with Cross Border Commissioner James McTavish and others, and I commend members of this House and the other place also for the tireless efforts that they've have gone to to make sure that their communities get the representation and outcomes that they indeed deserve and need.

I'm asked about the $1 billion relief and recovery fund. It's been an integral component, since 12 May, of our economic recovery plan. For those industries and communities hardest hit by COVID-19, it's protecting lives and it's protecting livelihoods. It's on the back of, of course, JobKeeper, JobSeeker, HomeBuilder, JobMaker—all of those programs that we have put in place to help our communities, particularly our regional communities. Our regions vary vastly in their local industry, in their produce, in their exports, in their challenges and indeed in their opportunities. The relief and recovery fund has been specifically designed to provide the support which reflects the varied nature of our communities. Six hundred and seventy million dollars of support has already been committed through this fund. The initiatives, mechanisms and procedures established or increased under the relief and recovery fund are providing support across the nation in such areas as agriculture, the arts, fisheries, tourism and aviation and such things as the International Freight Assistance Mechanism, IFAM, which has made such a difference. Daniel Byrne, export sales manager of the Midfield Group in Warrnambool, Victoria, has said about IFAM: 'What the government has done allows Australian products to remain competitive and retain crucial shelf space required for the future of Australian red meats. IFAM has enabled us to send high-end Aussie lamb, normally destined for fine dining restaurants, to alternate markets. IFAM has enabled us to save many jobs, without doubt.' And I've given up—I've lost count of the number of people who've come to me and said, 'Thank you for the assistance under the relief and recovery fund,' but also, 'Thank you for JobKeeper.' I know that, for those people, it has kept their business doors open; it has kept the lights on. Perhaps even more importantly, it has kept workers engaged with their employment, with those businesses, particularly in small business. I know they are so important.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

I hear the shadow Treasurer call out. The only small business he likes is the one that he can do a picket line out the front of! But they mean so much to us, and we want to keep them going through COVID.

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