Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Conroy. I refer the minister to the serious drought crisis in the northern Australian cattle industry, which threatens the lives of one million cattle if rain does not arrive by the end of the year. In 1969, when Queensland was in severe drought, the Australian government made Shoalwater Bay Training Area available for the Queensland government for use as emergency grazing land for cattle. Given that that decision was well appreciated at the time, will the government make Shoalwater Bay, Dotswood Station and Townsville Field Training Area available for grazing for starving cattle that will perish if relief is not forthcoming?