Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Senator Colbeck. Will the minister update the Senate on the first international cargo flight that landed at and departed from the new Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport, on the outskirts of Toowoomba, on Monday?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks to the honourable senator for the question. I know that as a senator from Queensland he is interested in this matter.

On Monday, the first international trial flight departed the Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport, sending fresh produce to China direct—the world's biggest consumer market—on a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-8 freighter. Aboard that flight was chilled beef to Hong Kong and frozen beef to Shanghai, as well as lettuce, pecans and mangoes from South-East Queensland and North Queensland. This first international trial flight marks a significant milestone in what has been a $200 million investment by the Wagner family. In fact, Wellcamp airport is the first greenfield public airport built in Australia in 50 years and the nation's first privately funded public airport.

This significant event, because there is another point of export, means that our primary producers have even more opportunity to capitalise on the strong international demand for our high-quality produce. The coalition government is 100 per cent behind this investment, and we remain focused on working with Wellcamp in the development of the proposed business plan, and we will continue to work through appropriate biosecurity infrastructure and resources issues to ensure regular international flights in and out become a reality.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. How will this type of investment and development in agricultural export opportunities help to build a stronger Australian economy?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is quite simple: the more infrastructure we as a nation have in place to export our high-quality produce to the world, the greater the return to our nation will be. In fact, rural goods exports have grown by 9.7 per cent in financial year 2013-14 and by a further seven per cent in financial year 2014-15, and we have continued to observe strong growth in the first quarter of this financial year, up 12.3 per cent compared to the same period in the previous year. These figures highlight that agriculture is becoming an increasingly fundamental pillar of our economy—as we committed to making it at the last election—and the future prosperity of the nation. This is why the coalition is delivering on our vision and our plan to back agriculture, and we will continue to do so.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, how will this expansion of our export capacity build on the work the government has been doing in improving market access for agricultural commodities?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Tourism and International Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since the change of government in September 2013, the coalition government has achieved over 50 key market access gains or restorations of suspended markets. On top of this, we have achieved over 30 key market access improvements or actions to maintain market access. The three big markets of North Asia for which we have successfully negotiated free trade agreements together account for around US$220 billion worth of agricultural food and fishery imports from the world each year. The coalition has created huge opportunity on the international market, and it is pleasing to see investments like that of the new Wellcamp airport, which can be seen as evidence of confidence in this government's ability to deliver for the people of Australia.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.