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

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, representing the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Scullion. Can the minister update the Senate on how the coalition government is supporting Australia's resources sector?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Sullivan for the question. He is certainly someone who knows the importance of industries that support local jobs, particularly in regional Australia. I'm pleased to say that the resources industry is making a great contribution to the nation: six per cent of our GDP, $200 billion a year in exports and, in particular, employment for the breadwinners of 235,000 families. I'm pleased to advise you, Senator O'Sullivan, that around 10,000 people are directly employed in those communities you represent around Central Queensland. This isn't just about 10,000 jobs; they also add to Central Queensland's regional economy, and business confidence is growing strongly. The Queensland Resources Council reckons that about $2.1 billion is spent on goods and services, which benefits over 3,500 local businesses. In the Rockhampton local government area alone, 1,000 local businesses benefitted from the $280 million spent on goods and services in 2015-16.

Senator, I know you'd also be pleased to know that we've issued a new mandate for the Export Finance Investment Corporation that will support our resources industry. The Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment issued a new mandate which will allow Efic to support a wider range of exporters, enabling support for our domestic resources. This is all about opening up more opportunities for the resource industry to contribute to our nation. But, of course, this approach is not something that we are seeing across the political spectrum. I say to those opposite: if you could talk to the Labor governments in Victoria and the Northern Territory, which seem to be the prime offenders, it would be terrific, because at the moment they are going against the specific advice of Australia's Chief Scientist, who has advised that we should develop these resources on a case-by-case basis. So I encourage those opposite to do something with your state colleagues and backflip on these bans and moratoriums that are locking up 100 years of power and opportunity. (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Sullivan, a supplementary question.

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

Thank you for that answer, Minister. Can the minister explain how the government's support for the resources sector is helping Australian businesses to grow and keeping downward pressure on electricity prices?

Senator Cameron interjecting—

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

Senator Cameron! Order!

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are working with the resources industry to support opportunities, to grow investment across the country and to promote more jobs. This is the case with our new mandate of Efic, which will open up more opportunities to support our resource industry. We're doing this in a sophisticated way. We're not just opening up opportunities; we're making sure that small and medium Australian enterprises don't suffer. That's why these resources are only pointing in where there's a demonstrated market gap. The best way to keep pressure on power prices is to open up more opportunities to generate electricity. That is why we have introduced the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism to ensure that we have more opportunities to increase the supply of gas into the market. We have met with the heads of industry and we have taken strong action to ensure we bring these prices down.

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

I'm sure you will be able to answer this next question. How does the coalition government's plan for the resources industry compare with alternative approaches?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I know Senator O'Sullivan comes from Central Queensland, so perhaps he can have the response in this way: there are three blokes in a pub, and those three blokes are more focused on their own jobs than the cost of electricity for hard working families. 'Blackout Bill', 'Brownout Butler' and 'No Coal Joel'—they're sitting in their corner and they're applauding the closure—

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

A point of order, Senator Wong?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is extraordinarily childish of the minister to use names in that way. I would ask that he refer to members in the other place by their appropriate titles, rather than engaging in this childish behaviour that seems to have infected the Turnbull cabinet.

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

Senator Brandis, on the point of order?

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

This is the Australian parliament after all. We are meant to have a sense of humour. The minister said that he was telling a joke. He is illustrating his joke with three well-known nicknames. He hasn't referred to any member of this house or of another place. He is merely telling a joke in a good Australian vernacular. And, in applying the standing orders, Mr President, might I respectfully submit that you ought to acknowledge that fact.

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

In relation to the point of order, I do take note that technically there is no breach of the standing orders. However, in the context of this week, I think it is obvious to all that those three names reflect on members of the other place. Could I ask the minister, in the absence of—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order on my right and my left! Senator Wong, you have raised a point of order, and I am ruling on it. In relation to the point of order, Senator Scullion, there is no standing order that specifically rules out of order what you have done. The names that you are referring to are obvious, so, in the interest of satisfying the chamber, I ask that you desist from using those names. Senator Scullion, you have the call.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I'm sure those three blokes in the pub will be terribly offended at what I have to call them now!

But what is their solution? They believe in and applaud the closure of Hazelwood. They hope for the closure of Liddell. And what is their solution to this fairytale? Perhaps they'll ask their mate from South Australia. They call him 'Windmill'. Their answer is dirty, expensive diesel generators. But we are working to keep Liddell open and maintain baseload power in this country. We will continue to work hard for families across Australia to put downward pressure on power prices.