Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I can respond to Senator McGrath's question because I've been talking to a lot of these affected farmers. I know that the Minister for Agriculture came to Rockhampton recently to talk to them as well. In fact, around 200 farmers, landowners, graziers and concerned citizens of Rockhampton turned out on the streets a couple of weeks ago to complain about the Labor Party's decision to downsize Rookwood Weir. Someone who was there in Queensland was a former head of AgForce Larry Acton. He said:

My property is next to the weir site…and I can tell you right now – not much has happened on the site for years. When Treasurer Jackie Trad announced that the public service were to be given a $1,250 bonus, it was the last straw.

A Duaringa cattle farmer Colin Dunne said:

One minute you look as though you've got access to water, the next minute it's all gone, especially myself because I'm on the tail end of it so if the weir gets lowered I don't get any. My time was wasted looking into it, money spent on it was wasted ... it's of no benefit to me anymore.

And that's because of all the shameful activities of the Queensland government that have reduced opportunities for Mr Dunne and others like him.