John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Senator Canavan. Last weekend, the National Farmers Federation launched their target of growing Australia's agriculture sector into a $100 billion industry. What is the coalition government doing to support this vision, and what are the government's key achievements in agriculture?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for his question and recognise Senator 'Wacka' Williams's longstanding interest in seeing the growth of Australian agriculture. I can say that the federal government fully support the NFF's vision to grow Australian agriculture to an industry of more than $100 billion, and we are taking action to help them achieve that too. Our agricultural industry is already one of the finest in the world. It produces more than $60 billion a year of value for our country. Of course, most of that—about 70 per cent of that—is exported overseas. The key to growing our agricultural industry further is to grow those overseas markets, to grow those customers and to give more opportunities for Australian farmers to do so.

That is why we as a government have concluded five trade agreements: three with China, Korea and Japan; the TPP, recently concluded; and a recently concluded agreement with Peru. All of these agreements are giving Australian farmers more opportunity to grow more food, to sell more products and to employ more Australians on their farms. This is already paying off. Just to give one example in regard to the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement, since that was signed a few years ago, lamb exports to Korea are up 89 per cent, cheese exports to Korea are up 39 per cent, orange exports to Korea are up 57 per cent and beef exports to Korea—admittedly off a larger base—are up 17 per cent. This is why Fiona Simson, the president of the NFF, has said that the government's commitment to pursuing preferential trade agreements could largely be credited for the positive position agriculture find itself in today. We will continue to back Australian farmers. We will continue to work hard for their interests here and overseas so that we can continue to see the strong growth in our farming sector that gives great benefits to farmers and the communities in which they live.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Williams, a supplementary question.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister. Minister, what is the government doing to support water infrastructure and further expand the agricultural sector?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Wacka Williams for his question again.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is Senator Williams.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As Senator Williams well knows, to expand that food production to meet the growing needs of Asia and those markets we're accessing overseas we need more water too. We're standing here today in the country's largest food bowl, the Murray-Darling Basin. It's benefited from the use of water, and we want to have that around the country as well.

I can see in the gallery Councillor Tom Gilmore and Councillor Bob Manning from up in North Queensland. They want to support water infrastructure in North Queensland too. That's why we're supporting the business case for the Nullinga Dam up there in Queensland, and that's why we're backing the Rookwood Weir in the Fitzroy Basin. That's why we've been backing the Rookwood Weir for over 500 days. I welcome the Queensland government's commitment. We will get that weir built, and we will get agriculture moving in this country.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Williams, a final supplementary question.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the minister: what is standing in the way of this growth of our vital agriculture sector?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is overall a very positive story for Australian agriculture, with those opportunities and those growing markets. But it's unfortunate that some state governments are passing laws to restrict the ability of farmers to increase food production. In particular, the Queensland government has introduced draconian laws which strip property rights from farmers and take away their rights—

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Williams on a point of order.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm trying to hear the minister and I've got this Scottish echo in my left ear. Could you please keep him quiet, Mr President?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, I ask you to be quiet. You have been vocal this afternoon. We missed you on Monday last week. Are you rising on the point of order, Senator Cameron?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order, how did he know it was me?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He has telepathic powers! Senator Canavan, continue your answer.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, we support the property rights of farmers to develop their own land. We support the ability of farmers to take these opportunities. To do so, sometimes they need to be able to clear their land, flatten it out and laser level it to grow food, and we support farmers doing that. But up in Queensland a deal has been done with the Greens to strip away property rights. That's why a farmer like Blair Angus, of Clermont, is saying that one-fifth of his farm is being stripped away from him because of these laws, and he is getting not a dollar in return—no compensation. It's an absolute outrage.