Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

The government has received very strong legal advice on this issue. On that basis, the Prime Minister has determined that it is appropriate that I stay on as a minister. I would say that I find it extraordinary that when those opposite could come in here and ask questions that people out there across the country, particularly in regional Australia, are interested in they are not taking the opportunity to do so.

Let me tell you, when I'm out in my communities, when I'm out in regional Australia, what people are talking to me about is not section 44; they're talking about jobs, about whether or not their grandchildren are going to be able to get jobs, about energy prices, about the cost of living, about whether or not they can get in to see a doctor, about whether or not they feel safe, about whether or not they think that the circumstances for them in their homes provide safety, about national security. They're talking about the things the government's done, like delivering the inland rail. It took this coalition government to deliver the inland rail—$8 billion. They're saying, 'Thankyou very much' to the coalition government for the $500 million we're seeing going out for regional development. They're saying, 'Thankyou very much' to the coalition government for fixing competition law and getting the effects test in place. And they're saying thankyou to the coalition for fixing country-of-origin labelling. They are particularly saying thankyou to the coalition government for taking the lead on the issue of energy so ably spoken about by Senator Birmingham just previously, because that's what's important to the Australian people. They're not talking about section 44; they're talking about all of those issues, and Labor is showing complete disrespect for the Australian people, because they simply don't understand. (Time expired)