Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McKenzie. The short answers to your questions are: yes and yes. The longer version is that, yes, I do recognise the importance of this payment and rebate for farmers. It is an important way for farmers to manage their budgets. For that reason, I can confirm that this government has no intention whatsoever of getting rid of it. I recognise that the Grattan Institute has made that suggestion, but we have categorically ruled it out, both I and the Prime Minister.

May I recommend my Twitter feed to Senator McKenzie. It's a very worthwhile resource where people interested in agriculture can find all sorts of information. I direct Senator McKenzie in particular to a tweet I did not today, not yesterday, not the day before but on Monday in response to Mr Littleproud's comments on this matter. My tweet says:

Another day, another baseless scare campaign from David Littleproud. Changes to the fuel tax credit are not on the Government's agenda. We're not ending the weekend, we're not ending the backyard BBQ and we're not ending this either. Poor David.

I guess I should probably add on this occasion: 'Poor Senator McKenzie.'

The information has been out there in the public domain for four days, where I ruled it out and the Prime Minister ruled it out. I've also done ABC Capricornia—a radio station I recommend you listen to as well, Senator McKenzie and all of your colleagues. So I have ruled it out repeatedly, but, if you haven't caught up with that fact, maybe you're a little bit behind the times. It's not happening; it never was happening. It was a David Littleproud idea, and guess what? Yet again he's wrong.