Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the minister update the house on what measures the government has taken in the last year that has supported the agricultural industry? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. He, like most, would note the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been spent in his area, especially on water infrastructure to do with the Murray-Darling Basin. This is part of that real delivery that gives us an economy which is now growing at 3.3 per cent. Part of that real delivery is seen in things such as Chaffey Dam, which since the coalition has been in power has not only been built, it has not only been filled; it is filled beyond its current capacity. It is now into extra capacity.

We might also note the Nullinga Dam and the vision we have for the future—a feasibility study of $5 million to grow the north, to get more water infrastructure in place—and also part of the $15 million investment that we are making now in the feasibility of the Mitchell River, and into the Darwin region, into the Fitzroy river in Western Australia and into Ord stage 3 of $2.5 million. It is not just the feasibility studies but also the delivery of building in Tasmania, $60 million, which includes four dams in the Southern Highlands. But, currently, we are also starting to roll out more farm management bonds, which are vitally important; $800,000 is the limit we have taken that to.

On the communications front, we have now provided funding for up to 499 new and upgraded mobile phone towers. We are rolling out the NBN. Sky Muster satellite now has 22,000 customers. Whether it is Roads to Recovery, where we continue to seal the roads, to improve the roads, to roll things forward; or 'bridges to recovery', which I can see in my own area with such things as Abington bridge and Severn River Bridge, these are part of a program of real delivery, tangible delivery—things you can see, things you can touch—by a coalition government.

Whether it is biosecurity, dealing with such problems as Panama disease race 4 and making sure that we have the flying squad for protection of the banana industry; or country-of-origin labelling, which we have rolled out, we continue to roll them out.

Honourable Member:

An honourable member interjecting—

Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take the interjection. I heard them mentioning Sam Dastyari. Of course, they would be mentioning him, wouldn't they? Because the biggest thing that happened to the Labor Party in the last week is they lost one of their frontbenchers. Apparently he was kind of a frontbencher. He was sort of on loan or something! He did not quite make the grade as far as salary goes. He had a bit of a problem and came up with a novel way to pay his bill. But apparently the member for Maribyrnong said there was no problem there. He had a long conversation with him: 'Nothing to see here. No problem at all.' 'No problem at all,' they said—except that Senator Sam Dastyari thought there was a problem! They have gone very silent now, haven't they? We look forward to the member for Maribyrnong explaining to us exactly how this came about. But I think we will be waiting a while. (Time expired)

Mr Snowdon interjecting —

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lingiari will cease interjecting.