Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

As I was saying in answer to the first question, there has been delay after delay by the state government in Queensland. If they are committed to developing water infrastructure in North Queensland, they are sure taking their time coming around to it. Just this month the Queensland water minister, Mark Bailey, wrote to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr Joyce, complaining that our water infrastructure program unreasonably excludes programs that primarily have an urban supply focus. He has written saying, 'The other aspect of your criteria that is unreasonable is the exclusion of projects that primarily have an urban supply focus.' The provision of water to towns and cities has always been a state government responsibility. If the Queensland Labor government were doing their job, they would be providing that infrastructure to the people of regional Queensland.

We are interested in creating more opportunity to grow food and to provide jobs in the agricultural sector. That is a role for national government, and we are happy to work with the Queensland government. But they need to do their part of the job too, to make sure we can deliver these benefits to Queensland.