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

(—) (): As I said, Senator Colbeck, it might seem strange, but ministers are required to follow the law. I know that Scott Morrison, when he was the Prime Minister, went and created new portfolios for himself and found ways around the law, but, Senator Colbeck, I actually think you're a decent man and I know that as the minister you would have followed the law. If these applications had been made to you as a minister then you would have considered them in the way the law requires. That's what's going on at the moment. But the government's support for the salmon industry can be seen not just from those investments that I've already mentioned: the $2.1 million to create a captive breeding program and the money that we're providing through the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation around dissolved oxygen levels. But we're actually an active partner in a national recovery team for the maugean skate, which is about protecting that species but also attempting to keep the salmon industry going. So our credentials are very strong on this, and we'll keep working on it. (Time expired)