Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, we'll give him a wave. There we go—a little wave. So the opportunity is still there, if you really seriously want to be a party of government ever again. I know Saturday's result—I was looking at you all today and yesterday, at the sad faces when you'd started to think about wall-to-wall Labor governments, state and federal, and no prospect of resurrection for the party. For the born-to-rule party to be in a situation like that—

But there's still a chance, Senator McKenzie. There's still a chance if there are some people on the other side who can push the issue of engaging with the government about our policies and if you have ideas that you think can improve this fund and do what we want to do, which is to revitalise manufacturing in this country. Recognise that the last nine years were wasted years in this respect. Recognise that you've now got an opportunity to make up for those nine wasted years. Make a contribution by supporting the proposition that we start building things in this country again. Do it constructively. Take the opportunity. If you're that interested in the forestry industry in Tasmania, come and discuss with us how you think any of our policies—and I've listed a whole host of them before, for very significant investment in the forestry industry—can be improved. Come and talk to us about it. Our door is always open. We like Tasmania. We love going down there. Talk about forestry products! I went to the Wooden Boat Festival a few weeks ago, and it was a terrific event. There were record numbers at that event. So come and talk to us. If you've got suggestions, start engaging. This negativity, this idea that you sit back there and say no to everything, is not going to endear you to the Australian people.