THE National Party is well-positioned to deliver for regional Australia after holding onto key portfolios in a cabinet reshuffle, Parkes MP Mark Coulton said.
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The weekend's reshuffle had Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce hold onto the agriculture and water portfolios, while Darren Chester will take over as Minister for Transport and Infrastructure.
Nigel Scullion will stay on as Aboriginal Affairs Minister, while the party's new deputy leader Fiona Nash will be responsible for rural health and regional development and communications.
Mr Coulton said it was important for the Nationals to control portfolios important to regional Australians.
"The Nationals represent more Aboriginal people in Canberra than anyone else," Mr Coulton said.
"I think it's important that we have portfolios that are relevant to our communities, but also relevant to regional Australia."
Mobile blackspots will be high on Mr Coulton's agenda as he prepares to brief the new ministers in coming weeks.
"I'll be briefing Fiona on what my priorities are, and make sure that she keeps an eye on [the Mobile Black Spots] program and that it delivers what we need it to," Mr Coulton said.
Those priorities will include the productive farming region of Yellow Mountain, Coonabarabran, Wanaaring and Upper Horton, east of Narrabri.
He said it was important only "genuine" mobile black spots are targeted in the second round of funding.
"There are places now where people have no coverage at all," Mr Coulton said.
"We need to make sure that we are delivering towers to genuine blackspots and this program should not be designed to give competition to areas that already have coverage."
The development of the Melbourne to Brisbane rail line is also a priority, and Mr Coulton said he plans to meet with Mr Chester to discuss the project.
"There's a lot of work being done already and I'll be reinforcing to him the need to keep the pressure on," Mr Coulton said.
"The government is committed to it but I want make sure that we keep the momentum up."