Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on both sides!

Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the government is driving growth in the agricultural sector by opening new transport corridors, such as inland rail? And is the Deputy Prime Minister aware of any alternative policies that jeopardise the significance of this infrastructure?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. And, might I say, what a great program the inland rail is, and I understand all the horticultural production in your area and the great assistance all those containers will be—200,000 container a year that will be able to be moved on the inland rail, the great commerce that will be moved to the western districts, that great vision for the nation that has been provided for us by a government that can actually put the money on the table for this. We will see the growth in places such as Goondiwindi, Parkes, Moree, Narrabri and Wodonga. We will see the benefit to Brisbane and the benefit to Melbourne. We will see this because we are a government of vision, a government that delivers.

You rightly asked the question about whether there are any alternative policies. Well, who would know? See, the shadow minister for transport is not allowed to speak in this place. The shadow minister for transport is now politically mute. He has got himself a new tie and a new suit, but he cannot speak. I think they must have put an embargo on him. The poor old shadow minister for transport is being stopped from speaking his mind. We had a look at it the other day and we said that Mr Shorten was a bit worried about Mr Shorten's Praetorian Guard of supporters—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Prime Minister will refer to members by their correct titles.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Okay: the member for Maribyrnong is now being protected by a Praetorian Guard. Now, you have to be a bit careful of Praetorian Guards. Praetorian Guards can be a bit dangerous. Caligula got knocked off by his Praetorian Guard; they put in Claudius. So did Commodus, so did Caracalla, so did Pupienus and so did Elagabalus. So, you have to be bit careful of your Praetorian Guards. I checked out who his Praetorian Guard is. Well, the 2IC of his Praetorian Guard is the member for Sydney, so we had a bit of look—

Opposition members interjecting—

He speaks!

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right! The Deputy Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler on a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was about inland rail, agriculture and freight. Given that the rail line does not go to the port but stops 84 kilometres short—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will come to his question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

he might want to address that.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before I call the Deputy Prime Minister, I do point out that the question asked a number of things. He is comparing and contrasting, but he is moving into territory that the question did not ask.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We looked for the alternative policies, and the 2IC of the Praetorian Guard said—talking about a leak—that the fact that a friendly conversation between colleagues with different views makes it to the paper shows how little we talk about what happens in shadow cabinet. Now, I believe that if something makes it into the paper it probably says that you are talking about what is happening in shadow cabinet. But I would have a look through his Praetorian Guard. The member for Watson is in the Praetorian Guard. No worries there; he is polling at eight per cent. The member for McMahon—ditto. But then I saw that Senator Sam Dastyari is in his Praetorian Guard—uh-oh! Be careful of that one. He reminds me of Emperor Pertinax. You know what happened to him: they sold off his emperorship. I reckon, mate, if you have a Praetorian Guard, you need a Praetorian Guard. (Time expired)

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.