George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I would not seek to undermine your ruling; I was preparing to get up and ask this question. That is why I removed the mask.

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the Morrison-Joyce government is delivering essential water infrastructure and other infrastructure, creating jobs and opportunities for Australians living in rural and regional communities?

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

I would like to acknowledge the member for Dawson and I would also like to thank him for his long period of preparation for this question, because it does need a lot of attention. We note the member for Dawson's and the member for Capricornia's great work in such things as Rookwood Weir, which is being built as we speak. We note that we wanted to make it bigger, but the Labor Party wanted it make it smaller. We also note the Labor Party and how, out at Callide weir, they're taking the gates off the weir. They don't believe in water infrastructure. In the member for Hinkler's seat, with Paradise Dam, what did the Labor Party do? Made it smaller. They don't believe in water infrastructure.

But we do note the $12.65 million further that we have put into Urannah Dam to finalise the geotech work and the environmental impact study, so we can also start building that one next year, just like we're building Rookwood. We note the Sunraysia Modernisation Project in the seat of Mallee and the work we have done there—completed. We note the South West Loddon Rural Water Supply scheme they said we weren't building—completed. We also note the Gippsland Macalister Irrigation District scheme, phase 1B—completed. We note also in the seat of Mallee the Mitiamo and District Reticulated Water Supply scheme; they say we didn't build anything—completed. These things are actually done. They were never done under the Labor Party—oh no, not under the Labor Party. We note the Mareeba-Dimbulah Water Supply Scheme, which right now is getting so close to completion. They say we didn't build it, but we are actually showing them. We're building them, and we've got further to go.

I like going to the movies. I always remember Howard Hughes, The Aviator, but the Labor Party have got 'Albo the advocator'—the great advocator, the ideas man, straight from the pool room. But never in this whole period of time has he uttered from between his lips a word about one dam he will build in regional Australia. Not one dam is going to come out of this man. He has never uttered a word about one regional road he is going to build—

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, Mr Speaker. I am forced to bring out the 'om weirdness' stuff—I have no idea what this is, but it's nothing to do with the question.

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

No, the Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. That is not a point of order. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

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

The great advocator—there he is. We are never going to get anything constructed by him. But he did have one great idea—we saw it the other day: $300 per jab. I think that was just your idea. In fact, you were helped by the member for Shortland—

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

The Deputy Prime Minister needs to resume his seat. I think we might as well leave it there. Whilst he was asked about alternative policies, they need to be alternatives to the issues laid out in the question. I think we will just leave it there.