Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

It is this government that understands the importance of farm safety and farmer health, and directing funding to organisations that actively work on prevention. It was those opposite who ignored the pleas of the Victorian state government and the National Centre for Farmer Health to keep it operating. Apparently, their requests fell on deaf ears. The Victorian Minister for Health, David Davis, said:

Our appeal to the former federal Labor health minister, Tanya Plibersek, for a 1:2 funding arrangement with the Commonwealth fell on deaf ears

Labor cried crocodile tears for the centre while refusing to fund it. As a farmer, I understand the need to fund these vital organisations and how important they are in focusing the minds of our agricultural communities and our farmers in ensuring their health, safety and wellbeing. It is this government that will focus on rural and regional communities and this government that will support them to have a viable future.