“The first thing I have to say is ‘sorry’.”
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We are a talking to the Member for Maranoa, and still Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud.
It was yesterday morning. He was in Canberra, after previously flying from Warwick the day before to meet up with new Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison in Quilpie and Longreach.
Mr Morrison wanted to “kick the dirt” and see first hand the impact of the drought.
Mr Littleproud said it was a sign that the government and Mr Morrison, despite the “machinations of Canberra” were focused on “delivery” for everyday Australians.
“We have the two ‘Ds’: delivery and discipline. We’ve been really good at the delivery but the discipline speaks for itself. Australians are sick of it and so am I,” he said.
“As Tony Abbott has said, it is time for the political assassination to end, and it’s time for those who can only think of themselves to bugger off.
“Parliament doesn’t need them and neither do Australians in general.”
Mr Littleproud said politicians on both sides needed to think about “outcomes” for their electorate and the country and put an end to self-serving political opportunism.
So can the Coalition hang on to government?
“Yes, we have a real fighting chance.”
Once the government gets back to doing what it is “good at: that first ‘d” word, delivery, he said.
On Monday he said he was ”honoured” to be asked to continue as Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources in the Morrison-McCormack Government.
READ MORE: Rural Australia hung out to dry
“I look forward to continuing to help farmers deal with drought and changing climate and help them plan for recovery; to work to gain access for our produce to countries with which we have free trade agreements and to those we don’t, to address labour shortage issues and tell the positive story about agriculture and rural Australia which city media sadly seem to miss.”
”I look forward to working with Tasmanian Senator Richard Colbeck as Assistant Minister as we help build a stronger farming community,” he said.
