Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Up to one million head of cattle per year. I have been to the Cloncurry Saleyards over the years. After the worst public decision I have ever seen—the immediate banning of live cattle exports from Australia based on a TV report—the farmers up there had no cattle in their saleyards and were nearly getting to the point where they had no option but to shoot their live cattle because they did not have the feed. When I went back to the Cloncurry Saleyards, 330,000 head of cattle went through those yards to provide food to people in developing countries who did not have access to food. That is what we are doing—we are feeding people who are more disadvantaged than us. This is what we are trying to achieve. We are trying to achieve an improvement in the quality of life for everyone.

Unquestionably, by making this decision to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the parliament is facilitating the growth of Australian jobs and the growth of our opportunities. I thank colleagues for their support and also their advice during the course of negotiations to join this bank. This will deepen the relationship between Australia and China. It will deepen the relationship between Australia and many other countries that have joined the AIIB. Most particularly, this is going to represent an opportunity for new jobs and new prosperity for everyday Australians. I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned.

See this speech in context