Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Will the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House how the Morrison-Joyce government is guaranteeing the essential services that regional Australians rely on as the government continues with its plan to address the impacts of COVID and drive the vaccination rollout in the regions?

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

I'd like to acknowledge the honourable member for Cowper, especially for his efforts towards the $1.46 billion on the Coffs Harbour bypass, which is certainly a vital service. It provides a vital service in that transport corridor—the duplication of the Pacific Highway, which was started by former Deputy Prime Minister Truss and continued by former Deputy Prime Minister McCormack. And it continues as we speak.

I also acknowledge, in the reference to services, the aviation support packages that this government has put in place so that during this COVID crisis we have the capacity to keep planes in the air, whether the Regional Aviation Network Support scheme, the Tourism Aviation Network Support scheme or the Domestic Aviation Network Support scheme. And I also acknowledge that the payments for those who are in hotspots is $750. These things are all crucial in keeping services moving during this period of time.

We also note that just today we've announced the ag visa. The ag visa is vital for us to keep our agricultural sector working. It's vital because unless someone picks the fruit there's no-one working in the packing shed. Unless someone picks the fruit there's no truck driver to move the fruit. Unless someone picks the fruit there's no market to sell the fruit. Unless someone operates the dirtier sides of an abattoir chain, such as packing offal, then there's no section of the chain that's working and other workers lose their jobs.

I was surprised that even meat workers unions approached me to make sure that we get this visa in place so that they can have a full contingent of labourers and so they can all keep their jobs. The ag visa is vital in the provision of the service of labour so that we have the capacity to get people into the paddocks when we are stripping the grain crops that are so important for some of our export dollars. In regional Australia, which is the source of so much of our export wealth—from minerals to agriculture—it is vital that this government supports the services which support the export of that product.

I acknowledge that the member for Cowper has within his seat the town of Dorrigo. And from Dorrigo came Mark Donaldson VC, who so many people in the seat of Cowper and especially in the town of Dorrigo are so proud of. So on this day when we're acknowledging the services, one of the important services are those who have put their lives on the line, as they have done in Afghanistan and continue to do to this very moment. Theirs is the most important service of all.