Cathy McGowan's recent appearances (OpenAustralia.org)
type: channel
language: en-gb
creator: OpenAustralia.org, mprss.php script
date: 2019-07-02T23:05:26+00:00
items: Valedictory | Statements on Indulgence | House debates
items: National Disability Insurance Scheme | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Telecommunications | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Future Drought Fund Bill 2018, Future Drought Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2018; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
items: Closing the Gap | Ministerial Statements | House debates
items: National Disability Insurance Scheme | Constituency Statements | House debates
items: Future Drought Fund Bill 2018, Future Drought Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Indi Electorate | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Reserve Bank Amendment (Australian Reconstruction and Development Board) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Office for Regional Australia Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Banking Amendment (Rural Finance Reform) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
items: Regional Australia | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Petition: Child Care | Statements by Members | House debates
items: Indi Electorate | Adjournment | House debates
items: Constitutional Recognition Relating to ATSIP; Report | Committees | House debates
items: Rural and Regional Australia | Questions without Notice | House debates
items: Consideration of Legislation | Business | House debates

Valedictory | Statements on Indulgence | House debates
type: item
description: Yes, the work is unfinished. On climate change, we haven't been able to do as much as we wanted in this space, but we did manage to save the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, ARENA, and we did...
encoded: Yes, the work is unfinished. On climate change, we haven't been able to do as much as we wanted in this space, but we did manage to save the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, ARENA, and we did manage to save the Clean Energy Finance Corporation—that infrastructure that was so important and was going to be done away with. But climate change and its mitigation remain serious issues in my electorate, and I know in Indi it's going to be a climate change election. So many bits of this work had been seconded by my colleagues on the crossbench, so a special call-out to the member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie; to the member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie; and to the member for Melbourne, Adam Bandt—and occasionally Bob Katter, the member for Kennedy, has also seconded my amendments. I'll come back to the opposition a little bit later because you haven't done so much seconding! An opposition member interjecting— Yes, there's a hierarchy! In my first speech, I committed to making a public statement in this place to recognise and acknowledge past mistreatment of our Indigenous community, and I'm proud to say that I did it in my first year, in my first term. I also committed to improving public transport infrastructure and access to telecommunications and health services and I worked to reduce the red tape that hinders the growth of business in our cross-border regions. There has been significant progress in all those areas. I committed to bringing the voices of the community of Indi to Canberra, and what greater example of success have we got than in the gallery today? I committed to a vision for a prosperous and caring community where businesses grow, agriculture flourishes and everyone can reach their potential. We have made great progress. Now I turn my words to comments of acknowledgement, honouring and thanks. Clearly, words are inadequate for some things that we know are so deep and lasting. You know who you are and you know what you've done. To my colleagues in this parliame…
date: 2019-04-04T11:51:00+00:00

Valedictory | Statements on Indulgence | House debates
type: item
description: on indulgence: hello, everybody, and thank you for coming. Six years ago, when I rose to make my first speech, the gallery was full. My community was engaged, supportive and present. Today, as I...
encoded: on indulgence: hello, everybody, and thank you for coming. Six years ago, when I rose to make my first speech, the gallery was full. My community was engaged, supportive and present. Today, as I rise to make my last speech, it's much the same. Back then, I quoted Margaret Mead: 'Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.' And how true that is. To the people of Indi in this parliament, thank you for enabling us to be the change we want to see. There is so much more to do. Beginning with the end in mind, my call to action is: our work is not yet done—don't get mad, get elected! Just a short summary: since that first speech, what have I done? I've delivered 525 speeches and 15 private member's bills, asked 74 questions without notice, moved 35 motions and made 18 amendments to legislation. Over 4,600 schoolchildren from my electorate have come to this place, 225 volunteers and four ANIP interns have worked in my office and, on average, 15,000 constituents a year have sought help, support and advice from the Indi office. Community members, more than I possibly could count, have offered support and advice and have shared their wisdom, and I have grown in confidence and courage. At the beginning, after agreeing to stand as a candidate, I was so nervous, worried and anxious. Then we won by a magic 439 votes, and I was really nervous, worried and very anxious! But I was determined to deliver. I really did want to prove that my community had done a good thing and the right thing in backing me. It was deeply personal. There had been a fierce competition for me to get here and to stay here. It required enormous emotional courage, strategy, skill, and a huge community effort. The expectations were enormous and heavy, and I took the responsibility of truly representing my community very seriously. So I am so proud to stand here today and say we have survived the ordeal and have hopefully set a benchmark in …
date: 2019-04-04T11:51:00+00:00

National Disability Insurance Scheme | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. My community, at recent NDIS forums in Wangaratta, Wodonga and Benalla, raised concerns of ongoing delays in access to services and equipment and about the...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. My community, at recent NDIS forums in Wangaratta, Wodonga and Benalla, raised concerns of ongoing delays in access to services and equipment and about the process for signing off on draft plans. Last night's budget revealed a significant underspend in NDIS funding. This is disappointing when there is such need, particularly in rural and regional Australia. Prime Minister, can you please take immediate action to fast-track assessments and address delays in receiving equipment and services, and provide NDIS clients with the opportunity to sign off on a draft plan and avoid a lengthy review process?
date: 2019-04-03T15:10:00+00:00

Telecommunications | Statements by Members | House debates
type: item
description: There is a never-ending battle for more mobile phone service in the country. There are many remaining blackspots in Indi, and today I table a component of a petition by the Violet Town community,...
encoded: There is a never-ending battle for more mobile phone service in the country. There are many remaining blackspots in Indi, and today I table a component of a petition by the Violet Town community, found compliant by the Petitions Committee. The petition was tabled in the Senate on Tuesday by Senator Jane Hume. It asks the House to facilitate a process ensuring Violet Town and district is provided with a mobile phone service fit for purpose, providing residents with the service that they pay for. I also table a letter undersigned by 121 residents of the Oxley community which requests immediate action to rectify the mobile blackspot that makes communication via mobile phone impossible in their township and surrounding areas. Colleagues, while I know we're going somewhere with mobile phones—and I noticed in the budget last night there is round 5 and round 6, and four more new mobile phone towers for Indi at Midland Highway in Lima South in Benalla Shire, Berringama and Mt Alfred in Towong Shire, and Smoko and Freeburgh in Alpine Shire—the battle's not over. Wherever you are in rural and regional Australia you should be able to use your mobile phone. The idea of a competitive tendering process is just not working. So I call on the government and the opposition to make the delivery of mobile phone services in regional areas an election issue so that wherever you are you can use your mobile phone.
date: 2019-04-03T13:41:00+00:00

Future Drought Fund Bill 2018, Future Drought Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2018; Consideration in Detail | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: by leave—I move amendments (1) to (10) as circulated in my name together: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table), omit the table, substitute: (2) Page 24 (after line 8), at the end of Division 2,...
encoded: by leave—I move amendments (1) to (10) as circulated in my name together: (1) Clause 2, page 2 (table), omit the table, substitute: (2) Page 24 (after line 8), at the end of Division 2, add: 27A Publication of information relating to arrangements and grants (1) The Agriculture Minister must cause the following information to be published on the Agriculture Department's website: (a) each amount paid by the Commonwealth under a section 21 arrangement or as a section 21 grant; (b) the total of the amounts referred to in paragraph (a); (c) the total of the amounts payable, but not yet paid, by the Commonwealth under a section 21 arrangement or as a section 21 grant; (d) for each section 21 arrangement or section 21 grant: (i) the name of the person or body with whom the arrangement was made or to whom the grant was made; and (ii) the purpose of the arrangement or grant; (e) the date of the most recent amount paid by the Commonwealth under a section 21 arrangement or as a section 21 grant. (2) The information published under subsection (1) must be kept up-to-date. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2), information is up-to-date if it is published as soon as practicable. (3) Clause 31, page 29 (lines 1 to 3), omit ", but section 42 (disallowance) of the Legislation Act 2003 does not apply to the Plan". (4) Clause 32, page 29 (after line 18), at the end of paragraph (1) (a), add: (iii) the final report of the Productivity Commission review relating to the previous Plan (if any); and (5) Clause 32, page 29 (lines 21 and 22), omit "28 days", substitute "42 days". (6) Page 29 (after line 23), at the end of Division 4, add: 32A Productivity Commission review of effectiveness of Drought Resilience Funding Plan (1) Before the end of the period of 3 years after a Drought Resilience Funding Plan comes into force, the Minister administering the Productivity Commission Act 1998 (the Productivity Minister) must, under paragraph 6(1) (a) of that Act, refer to the Productivity Commiss…
date: 2019-02-21T12:39:00+00:00

Closing the Gap | Ministerial Statements | House debates
type: item
description: In making my comments today, I would like to cover off about the importance of the Closing the Gap document, talk a little bit about the history and importance of the apology, talk about my work...
encoded: In making my comments today, I would like to cover off about the importance of the Closing the Gap document, talk a little bit about the history and importance of the apology, talk about my work here in parliament during the six years I have been member for Indi and talk about what's next. Let me start with some history. There is a wonderful book called Corroboree or war party: the last dance of the Wangaratta Pangerang. This book talks about the first contact with white people in my area in 1894—the great adventurers Hume and Hovell. It says Hume and Hovell actually followed the Pangerang footsteps; Hume and Hovell didn't make the route themselves. It says that 'members of the 1824 exploration expedition travelled along native pathways. There were no other tracks except such as were made by the natives in the neighbourhood of the water.' A little bit later, it talks about the area around the Ovens Valley of north-east Victoria in 1824. It says: 'The natives hereabout are evidently numerous as they conclude from their fires, the smoke of which is observed in every direction, and yesterday their voices were distinctly heard but none of them could be seen.' So, the early white settlement history in early Victoria is recorded here. This book is by Wendy Mitchell, who did it as part of her masters degree in regional development. In my growing up, that is probably the history I got of my area. And it wasn't really until I agreed to stand as the member for Indi that I paid some serious attention to the history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live in north-east Victoria. It was the apology that first brought this to my attention. As members would know, the then Prime Minister Mr Rudd made the apology. The federal member for Indi at the time decided that she would not be present for the apology; she abstained. The reaction in my community was one of horror, because she was our representative and she wasn't there. I was part of the general movement th…
date: 2019-02-20T16:20:00+00:00

National Disability Insurance Scheme | Constituency Statements | House debates
type: item
description: Colleagues, in my statement today, I want to draw attention to the rollout of the NDIS in Indi. I want to highlight some of the problems constituents are dealing with, and I want to put a call...
encoded: Colleagues, in my statement today, I want to draw attention to the rollout of the NDIS in Indi. I want to highlight some of the problems constituents are dealing with, and I want to put a call out to my community to come to the second NDIS community information forum, which will be held in Benalla on 28 March. Finally, colleagues, I'd like to let you know that I'm not standing for election in May, but I'm encouraging my supporters to back Helen Haines, who has a huge commitment to health and wellbeing. I know she will continue to carry the flag of better service delivery for people with disabilities in our electorate. Constantly we get constituents coming to my office, and they write letters about problems with the NDIS. While it's a great scheme and it has huge potential, it's not reaching its potential at the moment. To address that, in August last year we worked with the NDIA to hold two community forums, one in Wangaratta and one in Wodonga. These were really well attended. I thank the NDIA for their presence. But there were a number of issues that weren't addressed at the time, and the NDIA said they would come back in six months and report back to the community on what they had achieved. That meeting will be in Benalla on Thursday, 28 March, parliament commitments being willing. I wanted to bring to the House some of the main problems we're experiencing with the NDIS. As a result, we put some questions in writing to the minister: 'In respect of the NDIS, what is the nominated time frame of a plan?' The minister wrote back to me telling me the NDIA does not currently have nominated time frames between plan submission for approval and plan approval. Why don't we have time frames? Why don't we have KPIs? It seems a very straightforward thing to do that would help in the planning of it. So, a call out to the minister to address that. Another question we asked was, 'Why do clients receive final plans that are inadequate and have to wait for up to a year or more to …
date: 2019-02-20T10:24:00+00:00

Future Drought Fund Bill 2018, Future Drought Fund (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2018; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: In my addressing this legislation tonight, the Future Drought Fund Bill 2018, I'd like to take the House through some of my concerns about the bill, look at the process of accountability for the...
encoded: In my addressing this legislation tonight, the Future Drought Fund Bill 2018, I'd like to take the House through some of my concerns about the bill, look at the process of accountability for the minister in spending the dividend and outline areas where I will be making amendments. Secondly, I would like to talk about the missed opportunity in this bill for the government to resolve its thinking about our regional communities and the lack of opportunity to give voice to, listen to and act on the priorities for rural and regional communities. The purpose of these Future Drought Fund bills appears to be relatively straightforward: to establish a Future Drought Fund that will support drought resilience measures into the future. It talks of an investment of $3.6 billion that will return a dividend of $100 million a year from July 2020, next year, with that dividend to be spent on drought resilience measures as the minister sees fit so long as they are consistent with the drought resilience funding plan. Colleagues, while I support the intent of the bill, I feel the bill was rushed out to meet the drought summit time line. I feel it's loosely drafted and does not represent good governance and, in its current form, I'm unable to support the bill. Consequently, I will be moving amendments to the bill in the consideration in detail stage. In these amendments I will cover the operations of the fund, to make it more transparent, and propose that the minister becomes accountable to the parliament for spending, that we see good governance designed into the development of the plan and that proper process is followed in the expenditure of the dividends. The amendments I propose pick up the concerns raised by the Scrutiny of Bills Committee, by the Senate committee inquiry into the bill and by the proposed improvements recommended by the National Farmers Federation as part of that inquiry—no small group of people to support me in my amendments. Let me talk about the process of acco…
date: 2019-02-20T18:24:00+00:00

Indi Electorate | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: Colleagues, I'd like to welcome to Parliament House today some of my electorate's many young leaders, and I'd specifically like a call out to the leadership team at Victory Lutheran College in...
encoded: Colleagues, I'd like to welcome to Parliament House today some of my electorate's many young leaders, and I'd specifically like a call out to the leadership team at Victory Lutheran College in Wodonga. To Tom, Sophie, Jacob and Chloe, led by the wonderful Mr Wiese, welcome to Parliament House. Colleagues, there is so much good work done by young people in my electorate, and I want to take this opportunity today to honour, acknowledge and thank all the young people, particularly the young leaders in the school but not only in the school. On Saturday night, I had the joyful opportunity to attend the LGBTI inaugural gay ball in Wodonga, organised by our local gay pride group, supported by youth worker Sal Kimber and Indigo Council, a fantastic example of grassroots leadership in my community. Today, I want to say to young people right throughout Indi: I want to honour your commitment, your dedication, your generosity and your kindness. I want to say continue to be leaders. Our country needs you. Our country wants you. I encourage you to sign up, to turn up and to speak up so that, when you're my age, the world that you leave for your grandchildren is significantly better than the one we currently have. Thank you for coming. Please take the message back to your school and your community: leadership is a great and noble profession.
date: 2019-02-20T13:42:00+00:00

Reserve Bank Amendment (Australian Reconstruction and Development Board) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I am very happy to second the motion and reserve my right to speak. Debate adjourned.
encoded: I am very happy to second the motion and reserve my right to speak. Debate adjourned.
date: 2019-02-18T11:09:00+00:00

Office for Regional Australia Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
type: item
description: I move: That this bill be now read a second time. In summary, in presenting this bill I would like to continue my call for the need for an overarching, comprehensive, long-term and non-partisan...
encoded: I move: That this bill be now read a second time. In summary, in presenting this bill I would like to continue my call for the need for an overarching, comprehensive, long-term and non-partisan approach to dealing with regional Australia through a white and green paper process. I want to recognise that good regional policy is absolutely needed for our nation. And, third, I want to call out the government's absolute inadequate response to the Regions at the ready report. The government is mistaken if it believes its response to Regions at the ready: investing in Australia's future, the report tabled last week, demonstrates a strong and ongoing commitment to the future of rural and regional Australia. Last week, eight months after the committee released its report, the government responded to the report's 13 recommendations. These recommendations were the result of a year of analysis, 14 public hearings and more than 200 written submissions, and to say that I'm underwhelmed by the government's response is absolutely an understatement. Most disappointing is the lost opportunity to progress the vision outlined in the report for the sustainable growth and development of all of Australia. The response fails to establish a white paper process and instead offers an 'expert panel'. As a result, colleagues, I have taken action together with the member for Mayo to present this private members' bill, the Office for Regional Australia Bill 2019. This bill will address the deficiencies in the government's approach, developing an office for regional Australia modelled on the Productivity Commission: It's not rocket science. Why does it take the crossbench to act on a government report? We, with our limited resources, are bringing legislation to the parliament. We are not saying, 'We need another month.' We are not saying, 'We need another committee.' We are taking action. We are doing the hard work that rural and regional Australia needs. Can I say, colleagues: the people in my co…
date: 2019-02-18T10:57:00+00:00

Banking Amendment (Rural Finance Reform) Bill 2019; Second Reading | Bills | House debates
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description: I second this motion as I was proud to second it when it was first introduced to the House, and I would like to add my support to the work and the words of the member for Mayo and to express the...
encoded: I second this motion as I was proud to second it when it was first introduced to the House, and I would like to add my support to the work and the words of the member for Mayo and to express the disappointment we feel with those on the other side of the House, the government, in their failure to actually speak up for those in our constituency, which is farmers and farming families who have been hugely affected. So I'm very grateful to the member for Mayo and to her staff for the enormous amount of work they have done in getting this bill before the House. And I do call on my colleagues in the National Party and the regional Liberals to please step up and bring your voice to this House to represent your constituency. It's my real pleasure to second the Banking Amendment (Rural Finance Reform) Bill 2019.
date: 2019-02-18T10:55:00+00:00

Regional Australia | Questions without Notice | House debates
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description: My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to my question yesterday and acknowledge the release of the government's response to the Regions at the ready report. The response, sadly, confirms...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to my question yesterday and acknowledge the release of the government's response to the Regions at the ready report. The response, sadly, confirms that regional policy is uncoordinated, without planning or strategy. Traditionally people in regional Australia have supported the government, but, as outlined in the Rusted Off book, that is clearly changing as we are continually treated as second-class citizens. That's confirmed by this response. Prime Minister, as you prepare for the budget, will you personally commit to read this government response and undertake to give regional Australia the policies and resources we deserve to take our place with this great nation?
date: 2019-02-14T15:08:00+00:00

Regional Australia | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: It's a point on relevance. The question was: will the Prime Minister commit to a regional white paper?
encoded: It's a point on relevance. The question was: will the Prime Minister commit to a regional white paper?
date: 2019-02-13T14:14:00+00:00

Regional Australia | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, the Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation tabled its report Regions at the ready in June last year. The report...
encoded: My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, the Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation tabled its report Regions at the ready in June last year. The report recommends the government develop a comprehensive regional Australia white paper to provide a clear statement of the government's vision for regional Australia. After a year of analysis, 14 public hearings and almost 200 written submissions, there is enormous interest in the government response, particularly in my electorate of Indi. Is the Prime Minister now in a position to outline a response to the recommendations of the report? Prime Minister, will you please commit to a regional Australia white paper?
date: 2019-02-13T14:13:00+00:00

Petition: Child Care | Statements by Members | House debates
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description: It's my pleasure to present a petition to the House. The petition has been considered by the Petitions Committee and found to be in order. The petition read as follows— The p etition was...
encoded: It's my pleasure to present a petition to the House. The petition has been considered by the Petitions Committee and found to be in order. The petition read as follows— The p etition was unavailable at the time of publishing. Petition received. I acknowledge the principal petitioner, Gennifer Hamam from Bellbridge, Victoria. It concerns the provision of child care in north-east Victoria. The petition includes 339 signatures, and we therefore respectfully ask the House to put forward a bill to provide additional funding for rural childcare facilities and to help support rural families, whose options differ greatly from their urban counterparts. In bringing this petition to the House, I'd also like to acknowledge and thank the Minister for Education, Dan Tehan, his staff and departmental staff; Craig Laundy, for attending the roundtable in Albury-Wodonga; and Towrang shire and Wodonga TAFE for stepping up on behalf of the communities of Mitta Mitta, Walwa, Kergunyah, Baranduda and Bellbridge. I would like to say it was no surprise to my communities when the childcare services were shown not to be economical. We predicted it happening. I call on the government side to pay particular attention to rural and regional Australia and their differing circumstances, particularly for families' need for child care. We've resolved this issue in the short term, but we haven't got a long-term solution. I'm hoping the National Party steps up on child care in the lead-up to the election. (Time expired)
date: 2019-02-13T13:42:00+00:00

Indi Electorate | Adjournment | House debates
type: item
description: Colleagues and people watching, I take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas and every good wish for 2019. My topic today is about the future of Indi. So many people are asking me,...
encoded: Colleagues and people watching, I take this opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas and every good wish for 2019. My topic today is about the future of Indi. So many people are asking me, 'Hey, Cathy, what are your plans? What are you going to do?' So today I'd like to address this topic. I'd like to say that I'm going to continue to be the best possible representative I can be for my electorate. I'm absolutely determined that my electorate stays independent and orange because I believe that's the best way to ensure that benefits are delivered for my community and that strong, prosperous communities, which are alive with opportunities for everybody, continue to be created and supported. I'd like to share a short story about succession planning. My dad was a farmer. When he got to the age where he decided he couldn't actively farm anymore, he sent a letter to his children and said, 'Kids, come and talk to me. I'm ready to start the process.' Over the next period of time, the kids gathered in different ways, shapes and forms and had conversations with my father about the roles and responsibilities of taking over the farm, about his expectations, about the history of the farm and what he loved most about it, about the money needed, and about the time and the history. Eventually he made his decision about who he would leave our farm to. He wasn't in any hurry. He made sure that, when the handover happened, the majority of the community were happy with his decision. After he made that decision, dad stayed around as a mentor, as an adviser and as a fount of wisdom. Eventually he died in the valley where he lived, surrounded by his children and grandchildren—exactly as he wanted it. I found such inspiration in that story. I have begun the process of succession planning. My commitment to my community is like my father's. I will do this well. I will take as long as it needs. I will bring to it all the skills and ability I have to make a successful transition so that m…
date: 2018-12-06T11:24:00+00:00

Constitutional Recognition Relating to ATSIP; Report | Committees | House debates
type: item
description: I'm really proud to support this report, and I want to take the opportunity today to acknowledge, honour and thank everybody involved. I want to refer to some of the key findings in the report,...
encoded: I'm really proud to support this report, and I want to take the opportunity today to acknowledge, honour and thank everybody involved. I want to refer to some of the key findings in the report, and I want to finish by referring specifically to my electorate of Indi. To the committee and to the wonderful people who were involved in doing this report, I extend my thanks not only for your excellent company but for the leadership and the very high level of skill you brought to this task. To the co-chairs, Patrick Dodson and Julian Leeser: I have learned so much from the way you have worked together. To the committee members, the Hon. Linda Burney, Sussan Ley, John McVeigh, Llew O'Brien, Warren Snowdon, Jonathon Duniam, Malarndirri McCarthy, Rachel Siewert and Amanda Stoker: it's been an absolute pleasure to work with you, and I thank you. Thank you to the secretariat for the work that they did. It was such a difficult task to not only herd the cats that were the committee and our very complicated lives but also follow up with the submissions, organise the public hearings and produce such a good report at the end. Thank you to all the people who made submissions and the people who appeared before the committee to share their wisdom, their courage, their leadership and, most importantly for me, their goodwill. It has been an absolutely amazing committee for me to be on. It's the first time I've experienced bipartisan co-chairs working together and it's the first time I've been on a parliamentary committee where the numbers worked out. There were equal numbers of House of Reps members and senators and equal numbers of government and opposition, and two Independents to manage it all. The committee worked so well. The debate was fierce, the content was excellent and the people were professional. I was definitely inspired by the role of committees in this parliament. I'm really pleased with the final report. It's a very elegant report. It's simple and clear in its recommendat…
date: 2018-12-05T11:17:00+00:00

Rural and Regional Australia | Questions without Notice | House debates
type: item
description: My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. The Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation tabled its report Regions at the readyin June this year. It found that we need...
encoded: My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. The Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation tabled its report Regions at the readyin June this year. It found that we need long-term flexible strategies that adapt to the individual regions of Australia. The bipartisan report also recommends the government develop a regional Australia white paper. After a year of analysis, 14 public hearings and almost 200 written submissions, there is great interest in the government's response. Can the Deputy Prime Minister provide an update on when we can expect the government's response to this very important report?
date: 2018-12-04T15:09:00+00:00

Consideration of Legislation | Business | House debates
type: item
description: I'm very pleased to second this motion. It's the right time to do the right thing. This is a nation-building activity. The parliament has had inquiries into this. For many personal reasons to do...
encoded: I'm very pleased to second this motion. It's the right time to do the right thing. This is a nation-building activity. The parliament has had inquiries into this. For many personal reasons to do with me being the federal member for Indi, I'm very happy to support this motion. Colleagues, in 50 years time we're going to look back upon this particular parliament and see so many lost opportunities. Many, many times I've stood in this parliament and said to my colleagues on the other side, and particularly to the National Party, 'Where's your vision for this country?' And today, with this motion, I'm calling on my colleagues, particularly from the National Party, to show us your vision, to show us that you've got a plan, to show us you really get rural and regional Australia and where we want to be in 50 years time. It's about population. It's about the drivers of economic growth. It's about being brave and letting rural and regional Australia take its place in this great nation. So this authority is just the beginning to say that the National Party in particular has a plan for the future of this country. That's the political reason, I suppose, but there are really good other reasons. The parliament itself this year, while I've been here, has had two inquiries which basically support what we're trying to do. Probably the most important one was from the ITC, the Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities, and its report, Harnessing value, delivering infrastructure, a bipartisan report that says we've actually got to do something in a national way about what's happening in the cities and what's happening in the region. We've got to build infrastructure that connects. There were some creative ways about how we could fund that. So that report is before the parliament. The second report I would like to refer to is Regions at the ready, which talks about a national approach to building infrastructure and developing the regions so that they can take their right…
date: 2018-12-04T12:11:00+00:00