Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I think that is probably right. More than one day in a week is too much for the member for Kennedy, particularly since tomorrow is not a sitting day!

The answer to the member's first question about when the Pentland irrigation baseload power station study will be released is next Tuesday, in Townsville. I am looking forward to being there for that release with the member for Herbert, the member for Leichhardt and others who have had a particular interest in that study and indeed in northern Australia.

I might add that, on the same day, the green paper on northern Australia that we committed to during the last election campaign will also be released. That follows extensive meetings across Northern Australia with communities in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland; the meetings of the parliamentary committee under the leadership of the member for Leichhardt; and submissions and contributions from many people across the north.

Like the honourable member, I am disappointed that a lot of the work that has been done on northern development in Australia has not seemed to progress too much over the last six years. I know that in areas where I was the minister a number of reports were done—

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

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