Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. The minister opposes the New South Wales government's New England Renewable Energy Zone, saying it will turn the region into a 'sea of wind farms'. That zone will create thousands of jobs, cheaper electricity and $11 billion of investment in his own electorate. Why does the minister for regional development oppose regional jobs?

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. I must say, if that is the case, we are looking forward to wind farms in Sydney. I suppose, if all these jobs are being created, then there is absolutely no reason we can't put wind farms off the coast of Manly? There's no reason at all, if it creates all these thousands of jobs! You would have no problems with that! I acknowledge that the shadow minister has clearly stated that he has got no problems with wind farms off the coast of Manly. You might hear about that in the paper.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

It looks like we have other members of the Labor Party who have got no problems with wind farms off the coast of Manly! This is a vexed issue. I actually disagree fervently with the member saying that wind farms create thousands of jobs in New England. They don't. They can produce power—there's no doubt about that—but they don't produce thousands of jobs. You're probably removed from regional areas, so you're not aware of this at the moment, but we now have a very vexed issue in the areas where there are wind farms, with a divide between those who are for and against wind farms. If you had any knowledge of regional areas, you would be aware of that.

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What!

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

You disagree with that, member for Eden-Monaro? I don't think so. This is the area where we can divide communities right down the middle. In so doing, in New England and other areas, we are making sure, just as we do in other policies, that we listen to the people and do not come up with glib one-liners that completely misunderstand the issues. The member for McMahon has clearly stated today that he wants wind farms off the coast of Manly, and may he stand by that statement.

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

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

It goes to disorderly conduct. It's not within the realm of the Deputy Prime Minister to verbal members on this side during his speech. He just continues to do it. It's disruptive—

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

The Leader of the Opposition can resume his seat. I did anticipate that this would occur sometime during the sitting. I've made the point repeatedly that certainly ministers can't ask questions, because that's not how question time works. I won't go through it all. It's fairly obvious. But I do think that the Leader of the Opposition has a reasonable point, which is that the Hansard record shows what's said. When it comes to so-called verballing I see it in questions as well. I am going to make that point.

An honourable member interjecting

Whoever was expressing surprise must have been one of the ones that hasn't been here for a long time. Questions that have at their heart an accusation, like one just recently asked by the Leader of the Opposition, do fall into that category as well. I don't think members want me intervening on absolutely every aspect where someone feels misrepresented. That's why they can claim to be misrepresented at the end of question time.