It took six years, but in one of her last sittings weeks as a member of Parliament, the Coalition has for the first time accepted amendments Cathy McGowan proposed to make to a bill.
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The government had regularly rejected the Indi MP's suggestions since her election in 2013, until this week when changes were made to the $5 million Future Drought Fund.
The money will be used for projects for farmers to work on preparing for the next drought.
Ms McGowan said the first version of the bill was "slush fund for the National Party", which had no accountability because no one had report back to Parliament on how the money was used.
She said it was a "true win" that the government agreed to create a consultative committee with expertise in rural and regional Australia - as suggested by the National Farmers Federation.
“We’ve had a really big week in Parliament, but the highlight for me was getting amendments through to make the drought legislation much stronger, more accountable and more transparent," she said.
“They did it with great grace as well … I wish I had seen so much more of it (during her term) on education, on education, on child care on telecommunications.”
Ms McGowan will have one more week in Parliament when the budget is released on April 2, before she steps down at the next election.
“I don’t think there’s a better place to work than Parliament so I’ll be sad to let it go,” she said.
“I really love being a member of Parliament, it’s really challenged me and used every single skill I’ve got. In stepping down, I don’t think I’m leaving it, I’m taking all those skills and I’m going to bring them to another place.”
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