Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash. I refer the minister to her answer yesterday when she told the Senate that advice had been sought about varying ministerial decision-making processes while the question of her eligibility is being resolved by the High Court. Since that advice was received, how many decisions have been made and what is the total value of funding allocated by these decisions?

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

I'm very happy to take the detail of that on notice for the senator. But, in referring to those grants programs, it does give me an opportunity to talk about the very great benefit that they bring for regional Australia. Those grants programs and the decisions that I have made have provided enormous benefit for people living across rural, regional and remote Australia. And it's not just those regional programs—it's across a whole range of areas.

We had nearly half a billion dollars in the previous budget going out to rural, regional and remote communities. That is unprecedented. We have seen $220 million under this government go out to the Mobile Black Spot Program. I am really proud of that. This coalition government have done a tremendous job delivering for the regional people across this country when it comes to those mobile phone black spots. Colleagues, how many dollars did Labor expend on mobile phones? Zero—not one cent. So we are very, very proud of the programs and decisions that I have made and, indeed, the government are making in relation to regional Australia and, when it comes to the Sky Muster mess that Labor left us, the decisions that the coalition government have made to fix that. I am very confident in our ability and in the decisions that we are making that are improving the lives of regional Australians.

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

Senator Pratt, a supplementary question.

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How many decisions have been delegated to another minister or a departmental official, and what is the total value of funding allocated by those decisions?

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

I'm very happy to take that on notice.

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

Senator Pratt, a final supplementary question.

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How many decisions for regional Australia have been delayed, and what is the total value of funding awaiting allocation as a result?

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

Again, I will take that on notice. But it's a very sad day for the people of Australia when this might be the sixth question I've been asked in two days and not one of those questions has gone to anything that is anywhere near a priority for the Australian people. And what a sad day it is for the Australian people and what a sad indictment it is of the Labor Party that, given an opportunity in the national theatre to ask a question about something that is important for the Australian people, about something that is a priority for the Australian people, the Labor Party has chosen not to do it.