Senator NASH (New South Wales—Deputy Leader of The Nationals, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Local Government and Territories and Minister for Regional Communications) (14:49): I thank the senator for his question and his ongoing tireless work for regional communities. This is a budget about fairness, security and opportunity, and that is exactly what we will be providing for regional Australia. We are investing in regional communities because we know that when we have strong regions, we have a strong nation. The regions provide the water for the cities, provide the food for the cities and provide the energy for the cities. Indeed, people in the cities every morning when they wake up should thank regional Australia for their way of life. We are seeing in this budget $200 million extra for the Building Better Regions Fund, taking the total amount available for that fund to almost half a billion dollars. That fund provides investment in our local regional communities for things like infrastructure, airports, tourism and local leadership, where we see local people taking those ideas forward. Senator Polley: You're not doing anything for Tasmania. You're punishing us because we threw the Liberals out! Senator NASH: I wish I had time to take Senator Polley's interjection that we are not doing it for Tasmania, because I do not know what she has missed. All of the things I am talking about apply to Tasmania as well. We have also seen $272 million in the budget for major regional projects. It is going to invest in communities in regions undergoing economic change. There is going to be Commonwealth funding of over $10 million for each of these projects. This shows that it is this coalition government that has the confidence in our regional communities. We back those communities and respect them to be able to drive their future and take their communities forward so that they have a stronger future. The PRESIDENT: Senator Williams, a supplementary question.