Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

Part (a) of this motion, recognising what regional Australia has gone through, the Greens support, because regional Australia has gone through a massive amount in the last six months. There was the huge summer of bushfires; in fact, there was a spring and summer and autumn of fires, unprecedented fires, fires that covered a proportion of Australia never seen before. And then there was the COVID pandemic as well hitting these regions—hitting their local tourism areas, hitting their ability to function. We absolutely as Greens support regional Australia. But the gall of this government to pretend that they are working in the interest of regional Australia! On bushfires, you have people in East Gippsland who are still living in tents. People in East Gippsland and other fire affected areas have not been able to access support. The gall of them to do that! (Time expired)