Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Regional Services) Share this | Hansard source

We know that a strong economy relies on a strong regional Australia. We're backing hardworking Australians and farmers and we are investing in their local communities and businesses, because they help grow the economy and create jobs. We are unashamedly behind and backing regional communities. Today we've seen how those opposite want to treat regional communities and our industries. They nearly attempted to destroy a major agricultural industry, the $2 billion live export trade, and relegate it to extinction, along with the 10,000 Australians who are employed in it. It's very easy to sit behind the goat's cheese curtain, sipping your turmeric lattes, swilling your kombucha—very easy, because you've proved time and time again that you are no friend of farmers, you are no friend of agriculture and mining and you are no friend of regional Australia. Only a Liberal-National government backs a strong regional Australia.