More than 1,000 General Practices, including those in Hinkler, will join the COVID-19 vaccination program from next week, further strengthening the Commonwealth’s capacity, and ensuring an efficient and equitable distribution of vaccines across the country.

Mr CHRISTENSEN: My question is to the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government’s commitment to the resources sector, including coalmining, is contributing towards Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 recession, and is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Mr PITT: I want to acknowledge the member for Macquarie, one of the few on that side who have been in small business, I have to say. So congratulations. Having done it myself, I know it’s a difficult road. It is one where, every week, you have to think about where the money comes from in order to pay wages and pay your bills, and it’s one which many Australians take up.

Older residents in Hinkler will be encouraged to bridge the digital divide through a new government investment to help senior Australians remain connected with friends and family online and learn new skills.

In the 365 days since the joint Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) (RFDS) and RACQ LifeFlight Rescue base in Bundaberg became operational, more than 1,384 patients have been transferred through the facility.

Mr PITT (Hinkler—Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia) (15:51): I’m thankful for the opportunity to respond to what has been absolute twaddle. We’ll give a couple of lessons to the member for McMahon. Out in the real world, there’s a thing called a material safety data sheet. He should go and look some of them up. If we’re going to have tens of thousands of acres of solar panels in this country, it’s a responsible government that will deal with them in an environmentally friendly way when they come to the end of their working lives. Those opposite may not know this, but solar panels actually deteriorate over time. Their output deteriorates to the point where eventually they’re not worth having and are removed. They get damaged—they get hit by hail—and they have to be disposed of appropriately. If those opposite are seriously saying that we shouldn’t have a plan to deal with these issues, well, they are lost—lost once again.

A $2.5 million Federal Government grant will boost the sugarcane industry allowing cane from Maryborough and further afield to be processed at the Isis Central Sugar Mill.

Mr CHRISTENSEN: My question is to the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia. Will the minister please outline to the House how the Morrison-McCormack government’s Australian approach to mining is further cementing our mining industry as a world leader so it can continue driving our economic recovery and helping us chart a way out of the COVID-19 recession?

The COVID-19 vaccination rollout has started with a mobile workforce delivering the vaccine into aged care centres.

Mr THOMPSON: My question is to the Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia. Will the minister please update the House on the resilience of Australia’s resources exports and highlight how the industry, with the support of the Morrison government, is driving economic growth and supporting everyday Australians?