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

'Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.' I invite everybody to the Danglemah symposium on poetry!

It's really important that people understand that APVMA now has over 105 employees. Going around Armidale, guess what? They've enjoyed the move. They are happy. It has been a successful move that we have driven through in this government.

An opposition member: Shame!

The shame about this is that you did not come on board with the capacity to understand the concept of decentralisation. You should go up there before you say that and talk to the people who have moved because they have now said that it was a good move, and the proposals are now flying through. As an organisation, it is working better and people are happier.

We now have to take the next stage in the development of agrivet chemical expertise in Armidale. We'll be lobbying for a CRC to come to Armidale to build on that expertise so we can have a centre of excellence in regional Australia in agrivet chemicals, agrivet husbandry and plant pathology. This is how we make our region stronger. This is how we make our nation stronger. Only this side of the political fence had the courage and the determination to see this issue through and make it happen for the betterment of regional Australia and for the betterment of Australia.