Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It takes a special kind of bias—a special kind of Labor bias—to roll out the mobile coverage black spot round that they have just done. Never before have we seen in New South Wales 25 out of 26 go to Labor seats. If you look at the list, you will see that Dobell got two, Eden-Monaro got nine—lucky Eden-Monaro—Gilmore got four, two were shared between Gilmore and Eden-Monaro, and Macquarie got four—oh how we wish we were in Macquarie. One went to Robertson, three went to Shortland and one—wait for this—the communications minister over there told the media that this was an election commitment round. Well, call it that! Don't call it an improving mobile coverage round. There is one which has gone to Berowra. If it's an election commitment round, why would it go to—there he is—the member for Berowra? Last time I looked, he was sitting with the Liberal Party—it's Julian Leeser! But there have been none, of course, in National Party seats, and we and the Liberals hold the most regional seats. Labor has completely ignored the wishes of people who live in the regions, with this absolute rorting—this absolute pork-barrelling. I don't know how you sleep straight at night when you come in with something like this! Shame on all of you! (Time expired)

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

In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.