Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator. But if you are going to look through the budget papers, can I suggest that you do not selectively pull out things for political purposes. The Entrepreneurs' Infrastructure Programme is a $484 million program. The Industry Skills Fund, which, of course, will benefit everyone in Tasmania, is part of the government's initiatives. What we are not prepared to do is sit back and watch what happened over the last six years in relation to these plethora of programs that were achieving nothing but costing a lot.

You asked me about the copper mines of Tasmania. As you know it—oh, you did not ask me about that; I am terribly sorry!