Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator McKenzie is looking after her state. She's acting as a senator for Victoria, not the Minister for Agriculture for this nation. She has been pathetic in her handling of this. She can have tantrums and throw the furniture around in her office as much as she wants to, but the fact is that this has to be dealt with. This is about the people of this nation and the dairy industry, which we need to support. She might want to back up her dairy industry, which has 64.3 per cent of the herd in Victoria as the rest of the nation goes under, so they can export their milk to Queensland and get 87c a litre from Norco, when dairy farmers up there are lucky to get 61c a litre. Yes, they do want to see them go under in Queensland and the rest of the country, because they get more money in Victoria. So this is all about protecting her own interests; it is not about the farmers out there. She says that she never heard from any of the dairy farmers. I've had the Queensland dairy industry, representing 78 per cent of the farmers up there, saying, with the documentation, 'We want a fair farmgate price.' Also the New South Wales dairy industry said exactly the same—as did Dairy Connect. They all want it, but they won't produce it. They won't do it.

It's going to fly in the face of the National Party if they don't support this and give the dairy industry a fair farmgate price. They're the ones who are going to prove to the Australian people that they don't give a damn about our agricultural industry. It's all smoke and mirrors. Is that what you really want? It's all smoke and mirrors. Put your money where your mouth is and stand up and support them. If you're saying that that's what you're doing, then do it. Stop talking. Your actions speak louder than words. If Senator McKenzie cannot support the dairy industry bill today—if this gets up—then I'll call for her resignation as agriculture minister.