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

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources. Will the Deputy Prime Minister outline to the House how investment in water infrastructure is underpinning the record growth in Australia's irrigated agricultural sector? Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware of threats to growth in this sector and the thousands of Australians it employs?

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 and I note the great work that the honourable member does in his electorate. I note that, from the moment he started, one of the first recommendations he made was for further water infrastructure. There was a $120 million Sunraysia modernisation project in the Mallee which the member was instrumental in getting together. That has been of such real benefit—delivering new infrastructure to make the area more efficient and delivering more of that record agricultural output for the nation. I also note that the member is a farmer and had a record harvest in the last season. But it is not just that it is a record harvest; the fact is that, when they store that harvest, they get the 33 1/3 per cent write-off of the infrastructure required to store it—new grain sheds and new silos. This shows the government working with farmers to get a better outcome—like 100 per cent write-off on water infrastructure and 100 per cent write-off on fencing.

It is vitally important that we understand how important water infrastructure is for our nation. Back in 1980 there was around 5.5 megalitres per person and today we are around four. If we do not substantially start building water infrastructure, it will go down to as low as 2.6 by 2061. So, whether you like it or not, our nation has to go towards building water infrastructure, because we know that it is a source of wealth. That is why we put $2½ billion on the table to build this water infrastructure.

In his budget-in-reply speech, we looked forward to the Leader of the Opposition discussing how he would build water infrastructure—but, of course, they are not. In fact, they have made a promise to take money out of the water infrastructure fund. They have made a promise to start taking money away from the Australian requirement and the Australian dream to build new water infrastructure. That is no more evident than in the seat of Capricornia and the seat of Flynn, where at Rookwood Weir we have $130 million on the table after doing the business plan—and the Labor Party have no interest. The Labor Party have no interest in Central Queensland whatsoever. I do not think they have any interest in Urannah Dam. They have no interest in the Hell's Gate dam, they have no interest in Nullinga Dam and they have no interest in Emu Swamp Dam. They have no interest in any form of water infrastructure. We hoped that they might have some interest in assisting moving this great agricultural product around by building the inland rail, but they have no interest in that either. They have no interest in that whatsoever.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

The member for Grayndler can come up and make a interjection now if he wishes, saying that you are going to build the inland rail—

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

No, he can't, Deputy Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister will continue his answer or resume his seat.

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

But, of course, they are not. The problem is that about the only question the member for Grayndler gets these days is an interjection. That is about as close as he gets. We want to make sure we continue to build on this record turnaround in agricultural production, and the member for Mallee is doing precisely that. (Time expired)