Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Hansard source

Might I remind the House—to get the chronology of this right—that the exploration rights for that mine were granted by the Labor Party for $300 million, by a minister who has been called to be corrupt by ICAC—former Minister Macdonald. You would remember him, wouldn't you—one of yours? So what we on this side were handed are the actions of a corrupt minister, and we are trying—

Opposition members interjecting—

It looks like some people on that side might know him better than others. So I am happy that you asked me a question about the actions of a corrupt Labor Party minister and what they have done and how we are trying to deal with this issue. I acknowledge that the only area we now have to deal with it is under the water trigger, but we can only deal with it in a specific area. We are looking at this. We are doing our very best in the very limited area we have, because of state legislation and because a corrupt Labor Party minister set this up.

Honourable members interjecting—

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