Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Under the Albanese Labor government, Australia's immigration system is out of control. Infrastructure Australia's 2025 Infrastructure market capacity report shows there is a shortage of around 140,000 skilled workers across Australia, and this is expected to explode to a 300,000-worker shortfall by 2027. The Albanese Labor government has imported roughly 1.2 million extra migrants since 2022, and now the CEO of Infrastructure Australia has admitted in an ABC interview that a solution to the skills shortage—their solution—is to bring in even more migrants to plug the gap instead of treating this as a 300,000-people opportunity to create a better homegrown skilled workforce. Why won't the Albanese government admit that Labor would rather import a workforce than invest in a better future for our kids, the unemployed and our tradies?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. He's covered quite a lot in it. In fact, if he'd listened to the previous responses I've made in the Senate on employment, he would know that we are trying to grow our own, especially in our remote regions with First Nations people. In fact, we tried to roll out at least 3,000 jobs across remote Australia. We are looking at 3,000 rangers, with 1,000 of them women. So when we talk about growing our own, in terms of employment across Australia, we are certainly doing it.

In terms of your premise around migration to Australia, we're very proud to have people call this place home, along with our oldest culture in the country—in the world. We are very proud to welcome visitors from overseas who call this place home. But I will say this too: each time our government moves to try and improve the workforce across Australia, it's not just building the Australian economy and local people in this country and those who call it home; we also need to build houses. But when we have the other side opposing the opportunity to do that, especially One Nation, who oppose everything that we're trying to do, to develop and grow this country, then I would say to the senator: I'm more than happy to provide those details to you about how, on this side of the parliament, we welcome all people who call Australia home, and we are doing our best to ensure that there is employment and growth.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bell, first supplementary?

Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Another 300,000 migrants cannot fix a crisis made worse by the 1.2 million you have already brought in, which turbocharged the demand for housing, roads, hospitals and schools. Minister, this is madness. Why is the Albanese Labor government trying to fix a housing and infrastructure crisis created by mass immigration with even more mass immigration?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

President, do you know what is madness? What is madness is that One Nation and the coalition continue to oppose the building of this great country through the development of infrastructure and through the development of housing. We constantly bring to this Senate the ability to do that, and you guys opposite sit there, smirk and say no, and then you want to blame everyone but yourselves for why we are having challenges in trying to move forward. You're blaming migration? There is a deeper theme going on here, and I won't have a bar of it. The madness is not on this side. We know where it's coming from.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bell, second supplementary?

Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, Infrastructure Australia's net zero workforce report says around 130,000 skilled workers are tied up in net zero infrastructure projects. Will you admit that Labor's ideological rush to net zero is not only driving up power bills but also hoovering up the very tradies and specialists we need for housing and infrastructure? Will you back One Nation's policy of ending the net zero madness so those workers can be redirected to fixing our housing and infrastructure crises?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I so welcome this question on net zero, President; I really welcome this question. I have just come to the Senate from a population of over 100,000 in the north who've had to deal with a tropical cyclone way early in the piece, at speeds that are phenomenal for this time of the year for us. We know, unlike the deniers opposite—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, I have Senator Bell on his feet, but you are busy interjecting. Senator Bell.

Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister suggesting that the net zero policy is related to the cyclone?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bell, what is your point of order? Senator Bell, your question went to net zero. The minister is being directly relevant.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can see that the senators are very interested in net zero, but let me tell you this. Unlike the other side, we do see that there are issues impacting the climate. We do know, along with countries around the world, that we have to act. So, on this side of the Senate, we will be responsible. We will be sensible. We will try.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Stop the cyclones.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

See—you laugh. Senator Canavan, I'll pick you up on that.

No, you're a joke, Senator Canavan. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Canavan, I've had to call you a number of times today, not just at question time. Tonight is open-ended adjournment. I look forward to seeing your name there to put in all of the comments you've been interjecting with for the day.