Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG and Modernising the Federation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Senator Evans, Minister representing the Prime Minister. What is the government’s No. 1 priority for COAG in 2010?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

COAG has a huge agenda for this year, as the senator would be aware. The COAG has been working very well and we have seen some real progress in improved Commonwealth-state relations.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Carers and the Voluntary Sector) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fifield interjecting—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Fifield interjects on health. Well, health will be one of the major priorities for this year. There has been a lot of detailed work addressing the health issues in this country. I think everyone accepts that there needs to be an overhaul of the way health is funded and the way the two levels of government work together in addressing the funding of health services. It is certainly an issue that the Prime Minister has put at the forefront of the COAG agenda. It is certainly something that we have been getting good cooperation on.

I was interested at the Australia Day function in Perth that the Western Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, acknowledged the very good working relationship that he had with the Prime Minister and the fact that the processes put in place were working well. So it is not just a question of constructive relationships with Labor governments but a constructive relationship with the Western Australian Liberal government. Health is certainly one of the priorities reflected in the COAG agenda and, obviously, the rollout of the education revolution has been a key part of what we have done to date.

COAG has a huge agenda. I know, for instance, the issue of management of our cities was one that was raised with me the other day and that COAG has listed for next year. I expect COAG to have a full program of work that will roll out through the year.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG and Modernising the Federation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. How do those priorities compare for prioritisation with all the other already-announced No. 1 priorities like Indigenous housing, freight transport and the seamless economy, for example?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz interjecting—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Abetz. If I am your No. 1, I really appreciate that! I can understand why members of the former, Howard government would think governments are not capable of doing more than one thing at a time! But this is a reformist government. When we came into office, there was a lot that had to be done, there was a lot that had been ignored over many years. We make no apology for saying there was an enormous investment required in the education system. We make no apology for recognising that reform was required in the health industry. We have a large number of projects and reform agendas underway—that is right. We make no apology for that because, frankly, there was a lot that needed to be fixed following the end of the Howard government.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for COAG and Modernising the Federation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise whether the lack of output from COAG requires him to answer the question properly—perhaps with the formation of a committee or another review—and can he also advise whether he agrees with former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks’s statement that the COAG reform agenda is too big?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am a bit surprised that Senator Payne, who has spent the last 15 years working very effectively on committees, would criticise the role of committees in the Australian political environment. The Senate committees are one of the most constructive things the Senate does. The answer to the question is this: we make no apology for having a big agenda. There is a lot to be done. It does not matter whether it is education, health or Indigenous affairs; there is a lot that needs to be done. Sure, COAG has a busy agenda—and long may it be the case because, frankly, federal-state relations in this country under the Howard government were ground down to a point where there was little that was constructive, little that was positive and little in the way of goodwill. We are trying to get goodwill. We are trying to work with the states for much better outcomes for Australia.