Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable senator for his question. I know only too well how much importance he, as a senator from Inverell, places on the future of regional Australia. We all know that he is facing some health challenges at the moment. We certainly acknowledge his bravery. Senator Williams, I am sure you have the support of all senators in this place.

I am absolutely delighted to inform those who have not already heard that last week the Prime Minister and I announced the Regional Australia Ministerial Taskforce. This task force is going to bring forward cross-portfolio ministers across a whole range of areas that are going to ensure that we have a very strong future for regional Australia—across health, education, industry, employment, agriculture, resources, regional development and communications. This is going to have a cross-portfolio, whole-of-government approach that is going to see even more importance placed on regional communities. I think that indicates the importance that this coalition government places on regional Australia.

We saw that this was very well received. The CEO of the Regional Australia Institute, Jack Archer, used the phrase 'a powerful way to do something new for regions'. The CEO of the Foundation for Regional Development, Peter Bailey, said, 'It was a giant step forward to redress the challenges facing the engine room of Australia.' The Chair of Regional Capitals Australia, Shane Van Styn, also said that we would grow the economic opportunities in Australia as regional cities.