Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash. Six out of the 10 electorates most affected by recent penalty rates cuts are in Queensland. Given up to 30,122 workers living in the regional electorates of Leichhardt and Dawson will see a pay cut of up to $77 a week, why does the minister continue to support the cuts to penalty rates?

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

As those opposite would know, the decision around the penalty rates was a decision for the Fair Work Commission, the independent umpire who rightly and appropriately makes the decisions when it comes to penalty rates. Perhaps, if those opposite listened a little more closely, they would realise that that is indeed the case. What I find really extraordinary is that the senator rises to raise an issue of regional Queensland, but, when I look across at the senators of the other side, how many of them are actually from regional areas?

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

None of them live in regional Queensland—they're all on the Gold Coast and Brisbane!

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

Three in Brisbane and one on the Gold Coast, so it a little bit interesting when they come in to ask us questions about the impact on regional communities. None of them even live there! I wonder how many on our side come from regional communities. I think we should actually put our hand up on this side if we are from a regional community. For those opposite, I bet there is barely a hand up—perhaps Senator Dodson might put his hand up, but nobody else over there comes from a regional community. I find it extraordinary that they can feign this surprise for regional Queensland when they live in Brisbane, Brisbane, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. It is those on this side of the chamber who are going to ensure that those living in regional communities have a strong future. Indeed, only last week the coalition put in place the regional ministerial task force to look across government, cross-portfolio, at how we can best invest in regional communities. It is not those on the other side but those on this side of the chamber, in the coalition, who are the ones who are going to deliver for regional people.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisholm, a supplementary question.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that around 150,000 Queenslanders will be worse off as a result of the decision and given the negative impact that this will have on regional communities, what measures does the minister propose to take to mitigate the impacts on regional Queensland?

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

As I indicated in my previous answer, the decision around penalty rates was a matter for the Fair Work Commission, the independent umpire. The senator asked what we are going to do to mitigate it. I tell you what we are not going to do: we are not going to impose a carbon tax on regional people that is going to decimate them, which we saw under the previous Labor government. What we are not going to do to regional Queensland is ban the live export cattle trade to Indonesia—that decimated regional Queensland.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Gallagher, a point of order?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order on relevance. The minister was not asked what she was not going to do; she was asked what measures she was proposing to take to mitigate the impact. If she could be drawn back to that question—there are only 29 seconds to go.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Gallagher. I remind the minister of the question.

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

I did respond that it was a matter for the Fair Work Commission. What we are going to do to ensure that people in regional Queensland have a bright future is make sure we are delivering things that they need that they ask for, unlike those opposite, when it comes to health, when it comes to education and when it comes to telecommunications and things like that that are very important. We know when it comes to mobile phones, those opposite have delivered absolutely—what is the word that they call it?—zero. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chisholm, a final supplementary question.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How could a pay cut to some of regional Queensland's lowest paid workers possibly help already struggling local communities?

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

I find it extraordinary that those opposite stand up and ask the coalition about what we are going to do for regional communities when we are the government that continues to deliver for regional communities. Those opposite can barely get out of their city cafes in their coloured socks to go out and see regional communities, when those on this side are working hard to deliver. We hear nothing from the other side, nothing from the Labor Party, about the future of regional Queensland. They come in here and they carp and they go on, but they do not care—they are not out there. They live in Brisbane and they live in the Gold Coast. On this side of the chamber, we live with those people. We understand those communities. We are the ones who listen to those communities and who are going to continue to deliver—unlike the failed regional policies we have seen in the past from the previous Labor government.