Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Jobs in the bush maybe?

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You bet it's jobs in the bush!

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, question.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Can the minister advise the Senate, in light of his statement on the northern Australia white paper—and a very good statement it was—whether there are any impediments standing in the way of further progress in the resources sector?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question—and I am very happy to make Senator Cameron happy: it is a question about jobs in regional Queensland, because that is what our plans are: to create jobs in regional areas all around Australia and in particular in northern Australia, through our northern Australia agenda. A big part of that agenda is to support the resources sector, as the biggest part of the economy in northern Australia. Another big part of it, of course, is to build dams across Australia—to finally have the guts in this nation to build dams, to create wealth, to allow people to grow more food and create jobs.

This week, as part of our northern Australia statement, I was lucky enough to catch up with Phillip Hams, who lives up at GoGo Station up in the West Kimberley and is doing great work up there on the tens of thousands of hectares of black soil that exist on his station. They are putting in centre pivots, they are growing food, and we want to support those types of investments.

Unfortunately we have one state government that is not supporting these programs. Every state government in this nation has signed up with the federal government to deliver water projects throughout this country. We have agreements with Premier Weatherill in South Australia, we have agreements with Premier Andrews in Victoria and we have agreements with other premiers in other states. The one government we do not have an agreement with—

A government senator: Is it a Labor government?

It is a Labor government. Some Labor governments have signed up, but we do not have an agreement with Premier Palaszczuk in Queensland. They spent a week, a couple of weeks ago, in Townsville talking about jobs. It was all talk, no action. All they need to do is sign a piece of paper, and jobs will be created in North Queensland. I must say we even have the Greens on side. The other week, Senator Whish-Wilson responded to an interjection from Senator Williams and said: 'Yes, Senator Williams, including pipelines and dams.' Even Senator Whish-Wilson wants to build dams, but Premier Palaszczuk is holding up jobs in regional Queensland. Sign the document, just like other state governments, and help us create jobs in the bush.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A supplementary question, Senator O'Sullivan.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A fine answer that was, thank you, Minister.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Well, listen, Doug, because these things are relevant. Is the minister aware of any recent announcements that put at risk Queensland's ability to deliver sustainable economic growth?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank again the senator for his question. To deliver those dams, to create more irrigation, we need secure electricity as well. We need to pump that water, and we need energy in the North as well. It is difficult because prices for electricity in the North are high. They are high—we do not have as much access to baseload as other parts of the country—but it is going to be made even harder in North Queensland if the Queensland government is successful in progressing a 50 per cent renewable energy target in that state. It is an unachievable, unrealistic target.

But it is very interesting, I think, that, in their reports that they released yesterday, the Queensland government, on page 71, footnote 69, say:

Each of the policy credible pathways considered already includes a carbon price imposed on the electricity sector.

So that is the way they are going to meet the renewable energy target: they are going to put a carbon tax on Queenslanders to meet their renewable energy target. They say there is no cost for Queenslanders. There will be a cost, because they support a carbon tax, just like the Labor Party does here.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan, a final supplementary question.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any other potential roadblocks to developing the resources sector, particularly in my home state of Queensland?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have companies that are willing to invest in Queensland. Our whole northern Australian agenda is about attracting investment to our country, in agriculture, in tropical health and in resources too. We have investors that are ready to go, that want to start projects, that are starting to employ people, such as in the Galilee Basin with the Adani Carmichael mine project, but we have people in this country who are opposing that project tooth and nail, against the wishes of the local people, against the wishes of the local communities. Earlier in the week I mentioned that Glencore are reopening a coalmine at Collinsville. Today in the paper Jim Nugent, who works there at the local Collinsville food store, is happy that that is happening. They are going to put more business in his town. It is going to create more jobs in his community. The people at Collinsville Workers Club are happy with that. We support workers in regional Queensland, and that is why we support these projects.

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.