Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the House on the first international cargo flight which landed and departed from the new Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport on the outskirts of Toowoomba yesterday? And the member for Grayndler did not built that one either!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Groom will ask his question!

Ian Macfarlane (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How will this type of investment and development in agricultural export opportunities help to build a stronger Australian economy?

Mr Husic interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Chifley has been warned!

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question—the honourable member who has done so much for the people of Groom. He has represented them so well. He started his role with grain growers and continues his role in making sure that they get the Toowoomba range crossing, which has now started construction. And he is a member who has also been absolutely at the wheel to make sure that this new airport—the first airport built with all private money and the first airport built in greenfields in 50 years—has started. It has not only become a great endowment for the people of Toowoomba but a great endowment for the people of New England, a great endowment for the people of Parkes, a great endowment for the people of the Lockyer Valley and a great endowment for those in agriculture. It connects these people directly up to markets in Asia.

If we look in the first shipment we see organic chicken that has gone from the seat of Maranoa; pecan nuts that have gone from the seat of Parkes; beef going from my seat—from Bindaree and Rangers Valley; from Story Fresh—obviously, we have produce going from the seat of Groom; and from Mort & Co. we have produce coming from all over Queensland. We also see Stanbroke Pastoral meat—that abattoir is in the member for Wright's seat—and we see mangoes that have come from the seat of Dawson—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth is now warned!

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We also see mangoes coming from the seat of Oxley—and it is good to see Mr Ripoll here from the seat of Oxley. So all round this has been a great endorsement for agriculture.

To think now that we can move up to 130 tonnes a day—130 tonnes a day!—from this new airport as we work towards the process of making sure we get all the approvals in place so that we can create a conduit of wealth that is from not only the ports on the coast but is now also from the ports inland. This can be first as an example for other areas.

We always see that it is this side of the chamber that has the real vision to deliver real outcomes. We can see from what we do that we have a plan and that our plan will see delivery. It will see the delivery of such things as—

An opposition member interjecting—

We know what you want to put on the plane to Shanghai. And here comes the brains trust!

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Has the minister concluded his answer?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister needs to indicate—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is this a point of order?

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

one thing he has done to claim any credit—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hunter will resume his seat. The minister has the call.

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was that? It is good to see that we have on this side of the parliament people who are giving you record cattle prices with new markets and new airports. We are delivering. We are making people's lives better. I commend all the work done by the work a family to bring this about.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton has been warned.