Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a policy question for the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Senator Wong. Can the minister inform the Senate what funding the Gillard government has provided to support regional Australia? How does this compare to any alternative plans for the development of regional Australia?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question and for his interest in good policy.

As you know, Mr President, this government has made unprecedented investments in regional Australia, investments that were never seen under a coalition government. There has been some $4.3 billion invested in regional Australia, including $1.8 billion in regional health. We saw a regional priority round of the Education Investment Fund and, of course, the Regional Development Australia Fund.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is unsurprising that I could have been Deputy Prime Minister, Senator Joyce. Senator Joyce is very quiet while we are talking about all of the things that this government has delivered to regional Australia.

The record of this government stands in stark contrast to the performance of the opposition because after a decade of neglect of the regions which the National Party participated in—and it took a Labor government to turn that around—we see now what Mr Abbott's real plan is, a plan that he has been keeping secret, a plan that has all the rigour of something dreamt up by Senator Joyce, the man who apparently could have been Deputy Prime Minister according to him. But more worrying than the fact that this really does look like Barnaby might have dreamt—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! You need to refer to people by their correct title.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will come to where this actually came from. It certainly looks like something Senator Joyce dreamed up. But what is more worrying is that it has been authored by the man who wants to be the finance minister, Mr Robb. The Liberal Party must be shaking their heads. (Time expired)

Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question for the minister. What support has the minister seen for these alternative approaches to developing regional Australia?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What has been quite extraordinary is that, since the Tony-goes-troppo plan was leaked to the Daily Telegraph, it has been quite interesting to observe just how quick a range of shadow ministers and backbenchers have been running away—

Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Such a detailed policy!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

from this detailed policy—thank you, Senator Carr—one with such vision and such insight and understanding of the importance of good policy. In fact, it seems that the only people who actually support this plan are Senator Joyce and Gina Rinehart. Ms Rinehart floated something surprisingly similarly nasty last year as part of a plan that included paying Australians two dollars an hour. It is interesting that those ideas now have found their way into coalition policy. You have to say that not only is this plan ridiculous it is also completely uncosted. (Time expired)

Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister inform the Senate of the likely impact of Mr Abbott's 'Northern Exposure' policy on jobs in Western Sydney, and does the government support such changes?

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I do not think that is in order. You cannot ask a question about an opposition policy. You can ask about an alternative policy, but you cannot ask that. So that is out of order.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, they are welcome to ask about our policy if they have made their own.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce, that is not even a point of order. I have given people before the opportunity to revamp the question. I have been quite consistent about that. You have the opportunity to make it conform to the standing orders.

Matt Thistlethwaite (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister inform the Senate of the likely impact of any alternative approaches to developing regional Australia and their effects on Western Sydney?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for that question and for his ongoing support for Western Sydney.

The reality that we have seen in this piece of paper, drafted apparently by the shadow finance minister, would have a dreadful effect on Western Sydney because it would involve not only people in Sydney paying more tax but would involve people being required to move out of Western Sydney and to go north. We know there are many public servants who live and work in Western Sydney. For example, we have in the High Street, Penrith, Centrelink office nearly 100 workers. Perhaps, Senator, you should go down there and tell them their jobs are safe, because we all know what your plans are. We saw what you did in Bankstown when you were previously in government, when you shut offices there. (Time expired)