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

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Will the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House how the Morrison-Joyce government is investing in nation-building infrastructure which is creating jobs and driving growth in regional Australia? Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware of alternative approaches?

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

I thank the honourable member for Flynn for his question. It was great to be in Gladstone the other day discussing with the member for Flynn key proponents on how we drive the Inland Rail from Toowoomba through to Gladstone—we know how important that is—and working with Colin Boyce, who's the candidate there. I'm sure that he will do a great job. So often we hear the sneers from the other side about the member for Flynn, but we acknowledge that he is a person who's been in business, who's stood behind his own chequebook and who's risked his own money. That is a great recommendation so people can understand why the Inland Rail is so very, very important. We are now driving the Inland Rail so that you can go from Melbourne to Narromine. We have 37 kilometres still to do at Stockinbingal. This is a mechanism that shows delivery. This is something that we actually believe in. The best quote we got from the Labor Party was that it was a nice idea. For us it's not a nice idea; it's a reality. It's a reality that we are delivering.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

I take the interjection from the member for Grayndler. He said he funded it. There wasn't an inch of track that was built under the Labor Party, because they are not doers. It was interesting that, whilst I was in Gladstone talking about the Inland Rail—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Members on my left! The member for Shortland and the member for Ballarat!

Ms Butler interjecting—

The member for Griffith!

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

talking about the 1,700 kilometre project that we are building, talking about how we have been working with Minister Toole to drive the section from Narromine to Narrabri, talking about how we are currently building the Narrabri to North Star section and the money that has been spent there, talking about how we have completed the section that goes up to Narromine from Parkes and making sure that people understood clearly what we were doing, there was another person in Central Queensland—the member for Grayndler, the Leader of the Opposition. He was in Moranbah but no-one would ever have known. He was like the long-grass person. He was hiding in the long grass. You wouldn't have known about him unless you tripped over him. He didn't want any cameras there.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will pause for a second.

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

There was to be no TV.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will resume his seat.

Mr Joyce interjecting—

You can keep talking but your microphone is off. I would make two points. The Deputy Prime Minister was asked about alternative approaches, not to give a character assessment. So he needs to stick to the policy. For those members who were interjecting, I shouldn't have to repeat myself but I will briefly. You will be ejected. There are a lot of members that can't be here and many that are here have gone to great lengths to be here, but if you interject you will be ejected. For those who are interjecting, I can hear the noise and that's disruptive but I will just give you some comfort: no-one can understand what you are saying with your mask on. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

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

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, but it's hard to get alternative policies when the person who should have been giving them is hiding in the grass at Moranbah. It's very difficult to get alternative policies from a person who is obviously ashamed of—

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

Well, you might have to wind it up then if you can't find any.

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

One of the big purposes of the Inland Rail is the movement of bulk commodities, and one of the bulk commodities is coal. That's something that the member for Grayndler and that split party which is called the Labor Party—the left and the right—will never ever be able to deliver on. He is a person who does not believe in his own— (Time expired)