David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

I'll take that interjection. Let me remind those opposite about live sheep. Those opposite were going to walk away overnight. Instead of the calm, methodical approach of science and regulation, they were going to take it away. The Labor Party in Queensland has a policy resolution to remove all live trade by 2030, which will destroy agriculture in northern Australia overnight. That is the reckless approach of those opposite with respect to live trade.

But it extends further than that. It extends to drought. Before the election, in one of the lowest political acts in this nation's history, those opposite voted against the Future Drought Fund—a $5 billion fund giving a $100 million a year dividend. It was the lowest political act, playing on the misery of Australian farmers in the middle of the worst drought. That is one of the biggest kicks Australian agriculture has ever had. It took an election to change their mind. It took the 18 May election to change their mind. I suspect the member for Hunter played a very contentious part in that.

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

Yes, you did, Member for Hunter. It took you that long because of the near-death political experience you had. You nearly lost your seat. You came out from underneath the rock you had been hiding under for six years. You finally found a voice, albeit from the confines of the Otis restaurant.

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