Craig Kelly (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Through you, of course, Deputy Speaker, I am trying to make the point to my good friend the member for Fraser that it must be realised that we need water to grow the crops. It is these crops and the livestock that come from that water that drive the wealth and prosperity of this country. If we are going to have increased allocations of water, we can take advantage of the export opportunities that are ahead for this nation. They are all related. You cannot separate the two.

The water allocations and the need for that water are at risk because of an outrageous scare campaign that we are seeing from the unions. It is absolutely outrageous. I would have hoped that more members from the opposition would have stood up in this parliament to talk about the export opportunities that we have in the Murray-Darling Basin and talk about the importance of having the water allocations for those farmers and those growers—because that is where the future prosperity of this nation lies. But, instead, we have simply seen a disgraceful scare campaign that puts at risk those export opportunities for those growers who need that water in the Murray-Darling Basin. That is what we are seeing.

It is a shameful part of our politics in Australia today that we cannot get bipartisan support for this. I would have thought that good members on the other side of the parliament—such as the member for Fraser—would have given this bipartisan support. I am sure he understands the importance of getting this free trade agreement through so that we can give opportunities to these growers. With that, I commend this bill to the House, but I would finally say in conclusion—

Dr Leigh interjecting—

I know the member for Fraser might think this is funny and that this is a joke. But, for those Australians who are out there working long hours on the land—from sunrise to sunset—and are relying on this parliament to do the right thing by them and to open up those opportunities, I call on members of the opposition to have a thought for them and to do the right thing and get behind not only this legislation but also the China free trade agreement.

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