Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

This is called the committee stage, in case you didn't remember. This is where the opposition and crossbench senators get to have a say and get to ask the government questions about the impact of the legislation they're bringing before the chamber. They don't get to do it in the other place; they get to do it here. It's called democracy. My own Premier, Daniel Andrews, is not a fan of democracy—Senator Ciccone, you would have to agree with me on that.

The government have shown their complete disregard for the democratic principles of our system in the way their ministers treat OPDs, the way their front bench disregards genuine questions from the opposition and the crossbench and the way you're treating the committee stage for this particular bill. There have been genuine questions that community, industry, regions and the opposition itself want answered, and you've just made a mockery. There was a wonderful window of about maybe seven minutes, Senator Cash, where the minister was relevant to the question and giving detailed answers according to the Public Service ripping out their bits of paper and making sure he had his talking points in front of him.

I am very happy to put on the record the opposition's absolute offence at the way this minister and this government have treated the Senate. It is indicative of what we've seen in the last 10 months. My question remains: how many regional communities will benefit? Is there a weighting in the assessment for this money that will be provided to rural and regional communities or regional capitals? How will they be identified? How will that be weighted in the assessment of projects that this fund will seek to deliver on?