Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to the government's decision last week to allow 19 applications for regional development funding from the Greater Western Sydney RDA to proceed to full application status. All other RDA organisations in Australia have been permitted just three applications to proceed to full application status. Does the minister think it is fair that Central Queensland, an area that produces 40 per cent of Queensland's coal, is allowed just three applications when 19 applications from Western Sydney are allowed to proceed to full application status? Why does the government believed that the entertainment precinct of Parramatta is deserving of the term 'regional', just as Cunnamulla, Birdsville and Quilpie are considered regional? Why would the entertainment precinct of Parramatta go to the next stage of this application funding when the government has rejected the Tennant Creek Child Care Centre?