Coronavirus

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:37): Supplementary arising from the answer: I might have missed it in the minister's answer, but what portfolio of ministers was this phone hook-up with?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade and Investment) (14:37): It was the federal minister, Karen Andrews, and a range of others. Martin Pakula was one. It was mostly trade ministers. Every state is slightly different, but Martin Pakula was the minister from Victoria. Some of the other men and women I don't know personally, but it was just about a coordination of what is happening in each of the states: has a state got a manufacturer of a product that the rest of the nation needs? It was just to make sure we don't duplicate our efforts. For example, some of the face masks and surgical masks require importation of particular qualities of fabric and product. Let's not have two states bidding against each other for their supply. It's just really a coordination role.