Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I don't think that needed clarification from the member for Kennedy, but I thank him nonetheless for his goodwill! I did potentially get into some difficulty in the pub in Hughenden, by apparently sitting on the wrong seat, which was reserved for a very large gentleman with a hat bigger than the member for Kennedy's! But when we went there we exactly looked at infrastructure projects. This project, the Hughenden Irrigation Project, I understand, has had an initial business case that has been forwarded and will be examined by the department, as is appropriate. I also note that the Flinders Shire Council has been very supportive of the project, and I met with the mayor on a number of occasions.

That part of the world has an enormous opportunity with projects like Big Kennedy and Little Kennedy and the Kidston project, a range of renewable energy projects, a range of water projects, a range of potential irrigation projects to expand agriculture. I have had the privilege, in former capacities, of visiting there with the member for Kennedy. I know that my colleagues the minister for the environment and the minister for infrastructure will look at these projects, which fit into two categories for the minister for the environment, who will also look at them in her capacity as the minister for water.

Where we can appropriately, with the appropriate environmental protections, we should be looking at ways in which we can improve irrigation and expand our agricultural sector. It's important. Australia plays a role, and potentially will play a more important role, as food resources around the world become more scarce. We can use the fact that we are such a vast island continent to expand that, and I look forward to working constructively with the member for Kennedy on that.

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