Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Will the minister outline to the House what Australia's free trade agreement with China will mean for our dairy industry, and particularly for co-ops like the South Coast Dairy in my electorate of Gilmore?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Gilmore for her question. I had the pleasure last week of going down to the member for Gilmore's seat where we turned the sod on a new dairy cooperative—a dairy cooperative made up of seven farmers. They are going to get the benefit of participating in the exports that we will be able to achieve as a result of our free trade agreement.

Mr Champion interjecting—

I will get to you in a second.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Wakefield is warned.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is good because we are removing all the tariffs. All the tariffs on dairy are gone, so the people of the South Coast can start getting the same benefits that the people on the North Coast get. We are now exporting more than 17,000 litres of fresh milk a week. These are the sorts of benefits that can happen. We have small cooperatives reaching down the supply chain to get a better return to their farmers, just as we have new investment in southern Queensland—half a billion dollars—going into the dairy industry so that we get a better return for our farmers.

The member for Gilmore understands this because she is a businesswoman. She actually ran a business. She had 40 staff and exported to six countries, so she knows the benefits of free trade agreements and how they help. The member for Gilmore was also on the regional development board. That is interesting because, whilst we were getting the free trade agreement together, what was the other side doing? What could they possibly have been involved with? There were some interesting propositions with the RDA board that should have received more attention, such as the WA goldfields Outback Way priority section upgrade, which was rejected—an upgrade to save people's lives, an upgrade to move exports, an upgrade that would actually have helped regional Australia.

The way we see regional Australia on this side of the House is dark starry nights, furry animals on the road and long distances between towns. But where is regional Australia for the other side? Once they rejected the upgrade, who did get money? They found a regional town called Sydney. And who got $7.3 million? The member for McMahon. What part of regional Australia is Fairfield in these days? Whilst the people of Narrandera could not get youth off the streets, you got your money, didn’t you? I can see the member for Wakefield. He has gone awfully quiet—because you also got money, didn't you? Our Treasurer said that you could not deliver, but you can deliver to one group. You can deliver to yourselves. You look after yourselves, don't you?

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. The minister should be asked to address his remarks through the chair.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They do not have much to go on, have they, Madam Speaker? What about this one? The Regional Physical Activity and Education Centre for the member for Fremantle. What part of regional Australia is that in? You are rorters!

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Member for Hunter, this is not discussion time; this is question time. Do you have a point of order?

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Madam Speaker. First of all I would like to invite the minister to withdraw.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I looked at this question yesterday. I have taken a look at the precedents and there is nothing to withdraw. If it applies individually to a person then there may be a case to be made out depending on the context, but not otherwise.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Order! The member for Moreton will desist. Does the member for Hunter have a second point of order?

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Madam Speaker. I ask the minister to table the China FTA from which he was apparently reading.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was reading from confidential notes. There is no point of order.