Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. I refer to yesterday's comments by the WA National's leader, Mia Davies, who in 2018 called for the Deputy Prime Minister to resign. She said:

I'm disappointed the party felt they needed to change leaders. I think it shows they're focused on internal matters instead of the people of regional Australia.

In his capacity as the minister for regional development, is Ms Davies correct?

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

The Leader of the House on a point of order?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I might say, there is a lot of latitude being given to the opposition in relation to some of these questions—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left!

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I contend that that question is out of order—

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

The Leader of the House will pause for a second. Members on my left will contain themselves. The Leader of the House is entitled—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

The Leader of the Opposition and all members on my left will not interject; I am hearing the point of order.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I believe that question should be ruled out of order. The Deputy Prime Minister doesn't have responsibilities in relation to those comments that the honourable member has cited. I don't know the accuracy of those comments and I don't think that the Deputy Prime Minister should be asked to respond to them.

Mr Burke interjecting—

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

I won't hear from the Manager of Opposition Business at this point in time. I am going to rule the question out of order and give the opportunity to the member for Cowan to rephrase the question. I will tell you why: I've made it very clear in the past—and I know that the member for Isaacs hasn't forgotten this—that the substance of the question has to be in order. In other words, you cannot use the majority of what's asked that is deliberately out of order and then simply bolt on the reference to ministerial responsibility at the end. In other words: there was very little question and a lot of comment that related to internal party matters, which is prohibited from being in questions under the Practice. But I am happy to hear from the Leader of the Opposition as it is on this.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The quote from Mia Davies is about—the quote is:

I think it shows they're focused on internal matters instead of the people of regional Australia.

There can't be any quote more in order to ask the minister for regional development than whether they're not focused on the interests of regional Australia and if they're just focused on internal matters. That's why it is relevant. The member for Cowan asked him, in his capacity as minister for regional development, if Ms Davies is correct. In my view, it's—

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

Could I just hear—I might have misheard the question, and if I've made a mistake I'll acknowledge that. Perhaps it would be better if the member for Cowan didn't read the whole question but, certainly, the part in the quote about regional Australia—if I misheard that.

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Would you like me to read the whole question?

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

No, just the part about—

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The quote is:

I'm disappointed the party felt they needed to change leaders. I think it shows they're focused on internal matters instead of the people of regional Australia.

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

I'm going to allow it on this occasion, but I think I've warned about what I'm looking for, and I hope I make it clear to those asking the questions that they can't seek to ask questions that are essentially out of order. But that quote, I think, does enable the question to be answered.

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

The Leader of the Nationals in Western Australia is most certainly entitled to her views, although of course I don't agree with them, and I will tell you why. Since 2013, the Nationals and the Liberals have committed more than $2.8 billion through our regional grants program. That's most certainly focusing on regional areas. That is on top of more than $2.3 billion committed through the community development grants programs, which is most certainly concentrating on regional Australia. And we can have a look at some of the program examples of the $1.2 billion we put towards the Building Better Regions Fund—something that was actually set up by the Nationals and delivered by the Nationals. The Australian government has announced a further $250 million towards a sixth round, which is obviously going towards regional Australia to look after regional Australia. More than $331 million has gone towards the Drought Communities Program, which is delivering more than 687 projects.

Regional Australia knows that, when they need a helping hand, it is this side of the chamber that they can rely on. It is the Liberals and the Nationals in coalition that they can rely on. As a further example, more than $607 million went towards the National Stronger Regions Fund, delivering 225 projects. More than $247 million has gone towards the Regional Growth Fund, delivering 17 projects. More than $206 million went towards the regional jobs and investment packages, delivering 233 projects. More than $145 million is going to the Stronger Communities Program, which has funded around 12,000 projects since 2015. The list goes on about the issues that this side of the chamber, the Nationals and the Liberals in coalition, are delivering for regional Australia, and especially for Western Australia.

When that side closed down the live cattle trade, this side was responsible for driving for it to be opened up again. That is looking after regional Australia. When that side brought in a carbon tax, this side is the one that had to deal with it. When that side never built the Inland Rail, it took this side to do it. When that side would not concentrate on the Bruce Highway, it took this side to do it. When that side did not duplicate the Pacific Highway, it took this side to do it. We are the party that looks after regional Australia. We continue to look after regional Australia, and that is why regional Australia votes for us. You have left them so far behind that there are only a couple of seats left. One's up there, and he's only just with you. The rest have all gone.