Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Senator McKenzie. Last night, Minister, Senator Davey told the Senate:

… I facilitated a meeting today between members of the convoy and the Minister for Water Resources, David Littleproud, and the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley.

When did the minister first become aware of the meeting between irrigators, irrigation farmers, community members and business people with Ministers Littleproud and Ley?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Sterle. I became aware of that meeting when Senator Davey shared that with me earlier on this week. That has been something she has been working on as part of living, working, raising a family and running a business in the southern basin as a rice grower. She has been a strong advocate for irrigation communities. I would recommend that everyone in the Senate tune into the adjournment speech she gave last night, which spoke to the impact of the drought on these communities; the work that our government has done to assist farmers and their communities who are struggling with a lack of water; and her desire to see mutually beneficial outcomes between people who have concerns about the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, the state government's role, the water-sharing arrangements and, indeed, federal government policy. Hats off to Senator Davey for a fantastic meeting. I know that each and every one of our backbenchers here are continually raising issues with ministers, making sure that they broker meetings with their constituents and stakeholders in their respective states and areas of interest. That's called being in government and assisting your constituents to get things done.

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

Senator Sterle, a supplementary question?

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, were you invited to participate in the meeting? If not, why not?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, there are a lot of meetings that happen, Senator Sterle. I'm not invited to a lot of them, as is the defence minister not invited to a lot of them, as is the minister for skills not invited to a lot of them et cetera. I'm the Minister for Agriculture. I'm involved in stakeholder meetings to do with the agriculture portfolio. The Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management, who is also responsible for the implementation of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, is the absolutely appropriate minister to be conducting that meeting, as is Minister Ley, who has responsibilities for the Commonwealth water holder.

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

Senator Sterle, a final supplementary question?

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is, thank you, Mr President. Given Prime Minister Morrison was the first to announce an extension to government payments for drought affected farmers without Nationals leadership and that Senator McDonald has resorted to lobbying major supermarket CEOs herself, is the meeting facilitated by Senator Davey just the latest example of you, Minister, being bypassed?

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What a long bow! As I said earlier to Senator McCarthy's question, National Party MPs and senators are not backward in coming forward when it comes to writing to and lobbying supermarkets about—

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They wouldn't have done it to Bozzie!

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And Bozzie's a classic example—I'll take the interjection. Bozzie and Wacka and Barry are classic examples of former senators who've sat in this place and lobbied hard the CEOs of supermarkets, as we all have. We've sought to have better competition laws. It's the National Party that fought for changes to the Trade Practices Act and section 46, to actually back smaller producers against the might and market power of our retailers, and we don't shy from that at all. We're proud of that. It's actually what we're here to do on behalf of our communities and our industries.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where's Bozzie?

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

Order, Senator Sterle!