MATT BRANN: I'm joined now by the Minister for Northern Australia, the Federal Minister, Madeleine King. Afternoon to you.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Good to see you, Matt. How are you?

MATT BRANN: I am well.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: What a day.

MATT BRANN: Why were you keen to be here today in Kununurra?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, because the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility has put a loan into this project and we've been part of the discussions around this project for a long time. The government before us under the Coalition first approved that loan and we've been working with the local community and Kimberley Cotton on this project, with the NAIF, of course. So, it's an exciting moment and I was really very keen to be here. And as the listeners probably can't see, what we can see, which is a couple of hundred people here from right across the community here in Kununurra, but also from cotton growing regions in New South Wales, to be here when we really start, what is that, you know, great next step of the cotton industry in northern Western Australia.

MATT BRANN: The Cotton Gin in Katherine, it was funded through private money. Why do you think the gin in Kununurra is a good investment for the NAIF?

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: I think it's a good investment for the NAIF. And as I've said before, this is not the largest NAIF loan. In fact, it's very far from it. But I am confident that it will be one of the most impactful. And the reason for that we can see here today and to explain to your listeners is that extraordinary community enthusiasm, which is built on many decades of research into making cotton work up here in the north. Because it has been challenging with pests and diseases and breeding that resilient cotton that can, you know, drive this industry for so long into the future. The cotton gin was just a natural evolution of that and the government wanted to be there to support that.

MATT BRANN: Now with cotton gins in Kununurra and also, Katherine, this is an industry that's expanding. There are some people who are concerned that that will lead to more land clearing. What's your thoughts on this? How can you strike a balance.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Well, and governments do strike the balance. That is a really important imperative. And all these projects go through the approvals process that the community expects, the community here in Kununurra, the community in Katherine, but also the community around the country. And that's how these industries have their social licence to coexist with the environment. What's really important is the enthusiasm and the commitment of the local industry to make sure this is a safe industry, safe for the workers in it, in this operation here, but also safe for the environment out in the fields.

MATT BRANN: Thank you so much for your time on the Country Hour this afternoon. I hope you're getting a chance to, you know, have a bit of a sticky beak around the Ord and have some fun.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: I love coming up here to Kununurra. It's wild and wet and woolly down in metropolitan Perth.

MATT BRANN: It's a great time of the year to be in Kununurra.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Certainly the best. And I'll be back again soon.

MATT BRANN: Minister, thanks for your time.

MINISTER MADELEINE KING: Thanks so much, thanks, Matt.

MATT BRANN: That is the Federal Minister for Northern Australia, Madeleine King.