Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture, Senator Canavan. I refer to the statement of the Deputy Prime Minister, who said that the relocation of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to his own electorate would be carefully considered, managed responsibly and undertaken in consultation with staff, clients and stakeholders. Why is the minister ignoring the National Farmers' Federation, which in June voted against the relocation of the authority, and the concerns of Agribusiness Association of Australia, CropLife Australia and Animal Medicines Australia?

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

I thank Senator Cameron for his question. It is actually a convenient segue from what I was just talking about—about how we believe in supporting the regions, on this side of politics; we believe in growing regional Australia; and we believe in creating new opportunities for those people who live in smaller towns, who might not have the benefits of those of us in larger cities.

This town here, where some of those organisations Senator Cameron mentioned reside, benefited greatly from that government investment, that government involvement in creating those investments in those agencies, and that is what we want to try to do in other towns as well.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, a point of order.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. This is a segue from the question. The question was: why is the minister ignoring all of these organisations who rely on this organisation? He has not gone near that, and I want to know why he is ignoring the Farmers' Federation, Agribusiness et cetera.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. The minister has only just commenced his answer. I will remind the minister of the question.

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

Through you, Mr President: Senator Cameron, I have great respect for organisations like the National Farmers' Federation and other stakeholder groups, but I am here and the government is here to represent the people that elect us. We are all here as representatives of the people, not of particular organisations, not of particular stakeholders or sectional groups. We are here to represent the people we represent. I am proud, down here in our little corner of the National Party, to represent regional Australia. Many senators in the Liberal Party as well represent regional Australia, and many of our crossbenchers, and some Labor senators—unfortunately, fewer than before the election—represent regional areas. I am proud that we represent those people. I am proud that we have a plan to try to create more opportunity for them.

So, while I accept that others will have different views on this issue and that others may disagree, as is their right to do, with our decision on these matters, we have made this decision. We have made it publicly. We took it to the election and the government was re-elected, and we have every intention of making sure that we meet our commitments to the Australian people that we made. One of these that is very important is growing our regional towns and communities, particularly by providing the seed capital, if you like, through government investment and government placements of staff, so that the broader economy can be created in our regional and country towns.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a supplementary question. I refer to the Deputy Prime Minister's comments yesterday that the cost-benefit analysis is complete; and in some areas it is indeterminate, in some areas it is saying it is of benefit and in other areas it is saying it is not of benefit. Why won't the Deputy Prime Minister front up to the Australian people about the cost of the relocation and its implications for the future of APVMA itself and its staff?

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

As I said in answer to the prior question, this has been a very public process the government has gone through to announce these potential relocations. We have gone through lots of consultation, as the senator indicates, and the responses of the various groups involved. The government has done a lot of work looking into the costs of this particular change, but of course as the government we will make a decision based on those costs and benefits, and we have made that decision—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, a point of order.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again on relevance, Mr President. I was not asking about the government's decision-making processes. I was asking why they will not be up-front with the Australian people about the costs of this relocation and the implications for the APVMA.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. You did ask about why the government will not be up-front, and the minister answered that the government has been transparent, so the minister has been relevant.

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

Thank you, Mr President. We have been very up-front with the Australian people about our plans. We have just gone to an election where those plans were put in front of the Australian people. I know these particular policies are very well supported in the regional communities that I represent, and we have every intention of making sure we meet those commitments. We have had a look and investigated the costs and benefits, and we have made a decision for the benefits of the broader Australian people, as we are here to do.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a further supplementary question. I refer to the CEO of the National Farmers' Federation, Simon Talbot, who says, 'We can't afford policies which put productivity second to political objectives.' Why is the Deputy Prime Minister putting his own personal political interests above the interests of Australian farmers?

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

I believe there is a new CEO of the National Farmers' Federation now, but, be that as it may, as I said before, I fully respect and consider the views of the National Farmers' Federation. They are right and proper to put those views. We as the government of course have to make a decision for a broader constituency, including the people that live in regional Queensland, so I respectfully disagree with the views of the National Farmers' Federation in this instance. We have made a decision to make these decisions—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Pause the clock. Senator Cameron, point of order.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, this is on relevance: I would like the minister to address the issue that has been raised by the former CEO of the National Farmers' Federation, and that is that they are putting productivity second to political objectives. The minister has not gone near that issue, and the issue of productivity in the industry is important and should come before political objectives.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cameron. On the point of order: you did ask, 'Why is the Deputy Prime Minister putting personal interests ahead?' The minister then answered that by saying, 'The government is making these decisions to relocate,' and that he disagreed with the National Farmers' Federation on this instance. So the minister has been directly relevant. I call the minister.

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

I think it is very important here to point out that this is a policy for all regional Australians that we are trying to achieve around the country. So we are moving the Fisheries RDC to Adelaide. We are moving the Grains RDC offices to Toowoomba, to Dubbo, to Perth and to Adelaide. We are in the process of moving a RIRDC office to Wagga Wagga. To all of these towns, the Labor Party would like to deny the opportunity of having government invest in their town. I think it is important—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, minister. Senator Cameron, a point of order?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes; a point of order, again on relevance: we may get to these other pork-barrelling rorts down the track—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cameron!

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but that is not what I asked in this question.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order, Senator Cameron. You know that is not a point of order. Minister, you have six seconds left. Have you concluded your answer? Minister.

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

Mr President, I very much thank Senator Cameron for his question, for my ability to outline what the government is doing for regional Australia, while the Labor Party do not want to do— (Time expired)

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.