Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, I can. The biggest barrier for farmers and regional communities is the Australian Labor Party. They have not met a farm, a farmer or a primary industry that they don't want to shut down tomorrow—in partnership with Senator Whish-Wilson and the Greens—whether it is our fantastic fishing industry or our magnificent, sustainable hardwood forestry industry. 'Lock it up and leave it. We don't want any jobs out in rural and regional Australia'—that's the Australian Labor Party. Talk to the live cattle or sheep trade—the Australian Labor Party say 'shut it down'. They just want to wrap up our primary industries in red and green tape; they have no understanding of the contribution they make to our local economies and also our national economy.

One thing we do need to raise in the context of the ag visa is the importance of quarantine systems from our state and territory governments.