Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. Can the minister guarantee that the government will not cut $143 million out of regional education infrastructure funded in the 2022 budget? Specifically, will the government support the $27.5 million in regional development funding for the Southern Cross University health services precinct in Coffs Harbour?

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much for the question. As you're aware, we are doing a secondary budget, which isn't something that's a normal part of the government process. But, when we came into government, there was $1 trillion in debt and a range of programs—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Eleven seconds into the answer, I call the member for Cowper on a point of order.

Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a point of order on relevance. It was a very specific question—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. You just need to simply state your point of order. The minister is 11 seconds in. I'll be listening closely to her answer to make sure she is relevant. But I'll allow her, 11 seconds in, to get on with her answer.

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, we have come into government after a decade of those opposite and are reviewing the processes that the previous government went through, including announcing a range of projects that weren't contracted—sometimes where money wasn't asked for. We are in the process of reviewing that at this point in time. We will put forward our own proposals going forward. That project may form part of that, but there is a budget coming up in October. I ask the member to pay close attention to what that budget says.