Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Deputy President. I can understand why some people might want to protect their colleague in the Green-Labor Party-Independent alliance. They have worked very closely together for a number of years. They have been very close, at a state level and at a federal level—at a state level in trying to make sure that their interests are looked after, and at a federal level in making sure that their interests are looked after.

We do not believe it should be on prime agricultural land. If you are selling something for $5,000 an acre, that would sound to me like prime agricultural land, because I do not know where you would be buying land, I really do not, for $5,000 an acre, even today—not for dryland farming. I would say that that would be one of the top prices you could possibly pay. Would that be a fair comment, Senator Heffernan? Senator Heffernan nods. He knows this country.

As far as aquifers go, I reckon putting in a coal mine would raise a few questions. Now, the big one is: should it be next to towns? This mine is on what was Mr Windsor's place. He has got it back now on a peppercorn rent. He also got the next-door neighbour's place on a peppercorn rent. It is an awfully good trick, except the neighbour wanted it back himself on a peppercorn rent—but I think Mr Windsor has got it. It is right next to town, so that is a bit of a problem. The final thing is: a fair return should go back to the landholder. I must admit, he ticked that box. He got that one right. He got a very fair return back to the landholder. So maybe on one issue, a fair return to the landholder, we and Mr Windsor are on the same ticket. We have to make sure that in dealing with this industry we acknowledge that.

Mr Windsor is working with mining companies. He has sold his place to a coalmining company. He got a very good price for his place and has obviously of late had a very strong working relationship or has been in discussions with Mr Palmer. Good luck to him! That is all right; I have no problems with that. It is clear to see that having a strong working relationship with mining and being the strong benefactor of what has happened in mining makes sense. This is obviously one of the questions that people ask: who were the ministers at the time?