Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, the . Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the government is united in supporting our primary industries to ensure stronger regions? How would alternative plans impact jobs and opportunities in the regions?

Mr Conroy interjecting —

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

I don't know why the member for Shortland is going on. He'd buy and sell you for integrity and for business acumen any day of the week—before breakfast!—any day of the week, any of you! He absolutely would.

A strong Australia means a strong economy. It means strong borders, and that's what we've got—strong borders and a strong economy. A strong Australia means investing in the regions, such as the Rookwood Weir and $176.1 million that we've invested in that marvellous water infrastructure storage and flood mitigation project in the member for Flynn's electorate in Central Queensland. The Liberals and the Nationals—we deliver. We stand up for Queensland jobs. We support them. We want to see more Queensland jobs, and I know all Team Queensland on this side of the House absolutely want that.

We stand up for farmers. We support them. We passed in the House this morning the Future Drought Fund—something Labor opposed. Labor has voted against giving drought-stricken farmers assistance. Why would you oppose giving aid to drought-stricken farmers? It beggars belief. And for the shadow agriculture minister to come in here and play stunts with our dairy farmers, to play stunts with the Future Drought Fund, is just a disgrace, and he knows it.

It gets worse than that. We've got the member for Corio calling for an end to our biggest export industry, and calling it a good thing. Why would you want to see an end to a $66 billion export industry? He had an absolute shocker yesterday. Labor has no idea whether it believes in jobs or whether it believes in Greens preferences. Greens or Gladstone? Who would know? It has no idea. Mining or Melbourne? Who would know? It has no idea. The Leader of the Opposition has no idea either, because he says one thing when he's up campaigning in North Queensland and another thing when he's down in Melbourne.

Now we have the member for Herbert launching into a spray at the Queensland Labor government, telling Queensland Labor to 'keep out of North Queensland's business'. I'd agree with her! It should keep out of North Queensland's business, but we're involved in North Queensland's business. We're helping to rebuild, helping relief and recovery efforts and helping reconstruction. She'd be better off talking about that and asking a question about that than supporting the member for Corio and all those others who want an end to Australia's biggest export industry.

Yesterday, the member for Herbert had questions to answer, and now she's discovered that the answer is not the Labor Party. It certainly is not. Our farmers also know that the answer is not the Labor Party. How could they deny drought-stricken farmers assistance?

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

What a disgrace. Each and every rural and regional member of the Labor Party should absolutely hang their heads in shame. (Time expired)

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

The member for McEwen, I want you to cease interjecting. Flick yesterday's Hansard up if it helps.