Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Waters for that question. May I also congratulate Senator Waters on her elevation as a Co-Deputy Leader of the Greens. I have to answer the final part of the question first. I can give you an absolute guarantee that the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility will not be used to fund white elephants. I can absolutely guarantee that the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, which is a very important tool for us to strengthen growth and create more jobs across our great north, will not be used to fund white elephants. It will be available to help us leverage private sector investment in the important productivity-enhancing, job-creating infrastructure of tomorrow. It will help us create growth across our north—from North Queensland to the Northern Territory and to the north of Western Australia. I would have thought that, as a senator representing the great state of Queensland, you would be all in favour of more investment in infrastructure in North Queensland.

Coal is our second biggest export. The largest export income comes from iron ore—about 21 per cent. When I last looked, our national export income from coal was about 12 or 13 per cent. That is a very important industry for us. It is an industry that I would like to continue to see grow and prosper. I think there is a great opportunity for us to continue to strengthen growth across North Queensland and other parts of Australia. We have not made any decisions about specific—