Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for the Environment and Water. There are 24,000 kilometres of prickly melodica weed tree, the worst environmental disaster in our history. It is reducing what some have described as Australia's best natural grasslands into degraded, eroded wastelands bereft of native flora and fauna, dooming, inter alia, the western dunnart, to extinction. Minister, as North Queensland's mid-west population has fallen from 40,000 to 24,000, will the Hughenden irrigation scheme be a template for overcoming the degradation and creating the freedom of property and space, a nature wonderland of hope, prosperity and— (Time expired)

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's wonderful to have a question from the member for Kennedy. I have the opportunity to talk to him often about the issues that he is concerned about in his electorate, and I value this opportunity to talk about the prickly acacia. He is quite right that prickly acacia is a weed of national concern. It is a serious issue that is degrading the grasslands, undermining stock on that land, causing erosion and seriously putting pressure on dunnarts. If people want to look up Julia Creek dunnarts while I'm talking, they'll see a very cute little marsupial. That's why one of the things I've done recently is allow the importation of a new biological control. This new biological control, the gall-inducing thrip, targets the prickly acacia specifically.

The member has also asked about the Hughenden irrigation scheme. There are three things that the Albanese Labor government is interested in knowing about the Hughenden irrigation scheme. We are very open to the scheme, as I've told the member for Kennedy on many occasions, but the three things that we've asked for first are: an adequate water allocation from the Queensland government; assessment of the project by Infrastructure Australia; and co-funding from the Queensland government. I understand that—

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

I give the call to the Deputy Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has returned, but members are required—

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

Resume your seat. That is not a point of order. As the member knows, there are times when she leaves the chamber as well. Members do leave the chamber. I don't think that's helpful or appropriate. Those sorts of points of order are disorderly, and if the deputy leader continues with that, she will be asked to leave the chamber. The minister has the call.

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not the Gold Coast, but Julia Creek matters too.

I understand that the water allocation has progressed to the next stage of the water allocation process. I'm told that the proponent has submitted a detailed case to Infrastructure Australia. I understand that the Queensland government is actively considering the project. We will always support better infrastructure when it stacks up.

I remind the member for Kennedy as well that, in the October budget, we committed three-quarters of a billion dollars to water infrastructure in Queensland, including $600 million for Paradise Dam near Bundaberg, over $100 million for the Cairns Water Security project, $11½ million for better water security planning in Queensland, $3½ million for Mount Morgan, another $8 million towards Big Rocks Weir and another $12½ million for groundwater improvement and water efficiency in the Lower Burdekin.

One difference between us and those opposite is, when we promise water infrastructure, we deliver it. We won't promise 100 dams, as those opposite did, and deliver two in nine years.