2012 05 30 DAILY - parliament.qld.gov.au · men and women of governments past—leaders who have shaped Queensland into the great state ... If there wa s some sort of Harry ... why

30 May 2012 Address-In-Reply 281

member for Nicklin has done, because I think I have heard him ask that question in the House before.We will be dealing with the broad range of community issues to re-establish the communities in the MaryValley and to try to recover some of that $450 million of public money that the Labor Party wasted.

(Time expired) Madam SPEAKER: Order! The time for question time has finished. I want to acknowledge in the

public gallery Senator Ian Macdonald. Honourable members: Hear, hear!

ADDRESS-IN-REPLYResumed from 29 May (see p. 257).Madam SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Capalaba. I ask for the courtesy of the House in

hearing him in silence as this is his inaugural speech. Mr DAVIES (Capalaba—LNP) (3.32 pm): I, like all those who have given their maiden speeches

over the past few weeks, would like to express my sense of humility in being part of this, the 54thParliament of Queensland. To walk down these hallowed halls and to follow in the footsteps of the greatmen and women of governments past—leaders who have shaped Queensland into the great state that itis—gives me a sense of immense responsibility and gravity of purpose. To be entrusted by the residentsof the Capalaba electorate to be their voice in this place is indeed humbling, but it is a task I intend toprosecute with all that is within me.

Having had the privilege of hearing many of the new members deliver their speeches, I must saythe quality and diversity of the members who have been elected to this place is without peer—men andwomen who bring a vast amount of experience to this parliament. We have footy refs, company CEOs,doctors, councillors and mayors, tradies, retired Army officers on both sides of the House, farmers,businesspeople, a former US marine and, for better or worse, even a couple of lawyers and a journalistor two.

I recently read in one of the newspapers that this is one of the most inexperienced parliamentsever. This may be true as far as parliamentary procedure is concerned, but I believe these newmembers bring a vast wealth of real world wisdom and experience that in the coming years will hold thisstate well and truly in good stead. After all, parliaments should be a representation of the widercommunity, and I dare say there would not be too many past Queensland parliaments with the diversityand depth of character that this one has been blessed with. Given this wealth of talent and characterthat the current House has been endowed with, I must say I feel a little out of my league. Hearing thevast array of wonderful political and family heritage of the new members, it is easy for me to question myown pedigree to be here.

Mr Deputy Speaker, each of us can point to watershed moments in our lives—those momentsthat have been pivotal, life-defining experiences, experiences that truly shape and determine thedirection of our lives. For me, those moments have included meeting Simone, a pretty young girl, whenI was 20—a girl who was silly enough to say yes to my clumsy boyish marriage proposal some 26 yearsago—and the subsequent birth of my two beautiful daughters who have been and are the absolute joyof my life. And, without being too melodramatic, equally momentous is being entrusted by the voters ofCapalaba to represent them in this place.

I would love to be able to stand before this House and tell my story—the tale of a young boy whogrew up well and made all the right choices. Unfortunately that is not the story I can tell. Mine is asomewhat darker tale—a father with too many gambling debts who took his own life, a heartbrokenmother coping the best she could to bring up two boys alone, financial hardship and a stormy andsometimes violent relationship with my new stepdad. All this led to a young man that was me, makingsome seriously silly and life-destroying choices—choices unfortunately that have become very much thenorm amongst the young and not so young today. If I could change the choices that that lost young manmade all those years ago, I surely would. If there was some sort of Harry Potter magic wand that I couldavail myself of, I would use it in a flash. Unfortunately we cannot change our past—only our today.

For me, that change came when I was 20 and, like the Victor Hugo character Jean Valjean in theamazing story of redemption Les Mis, an act of grace by a stranger—in my case not a bishop but ahumble cleaning lady in a pub in Townsville—introduced me to a loving God and gave me a sense ofhope and purpose. This one act was the catalyst and turning point in rebuilding what could only becalled a train wreck of a life. This rebuilding was not an undertaking I had to do alone, but with thesupport of many I began the long journey from brokenness to wholeness. Often on this journey itseemed I would take two steps back for a feeble step forward, but persistence and the love and supportof friends and family have enabled me to become the man I am today.

It is often said that we are the sum of our life experiences and I believe that to be very true. Thehard times in our lives can either make us bitter or make us better, and I have chosen ‘better’. For the

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282 Address-In-Reply 30 May 2012

last 20 years I have committed myself to working with young people who, like me, have fallen throughlife’s cracks and are looking for love in all the wrong places. It troubles me dearly that the broken world Iinhabited as a youth is becoming more and more prevalent today. The importance of strong healthyhomes and families is today more pressing than ever.

The early years of my marriage with Simone were, as they say in the classics, ‘interesting’—onejob, two kids and a housing commission home in Kingston. Money was tight—at times very tight—andwe both worked hard to make the most of life for our kids. We sacrificed family holidays and many aluxury in those early years to give our girls both a great education and the life skills that have seen thembecome the amazing young women they are today. Ultimately, as most parents in this room can attest,these sacrifices were not really sacrifices at all but an investment.

Our family would be what I imagine a sociologist might call ‘aspirational’, hoping to betterourselves and to give our kids better opportunities than we had. My work history spans everything frombeing a cleaner at Expo ’88 to working with my hands in the construction industry—in fact, I was even apaid-up member of the BLF, much to my shame—to sales management and management in not-for-profit organisations and, lastly, to owning and operating my own business in the financial sector. Andduring the last few years I have had the privilege of undertaking tertiary studies at QUT, an opportunitynot afforded to me in my youth, culminating in a Masters of Business.

I come to this parliament with a very diverse background of employment and life experiences. Sowhy politics and why now? Well, one word: frustration. It is a word a number of other members haveused during their maiden speeches. As a businessperson, I simply became more and more frustrated atwhat was and, more importantly, what was not happening in the great state of Queensland. When headdressed the parliament during our first sitting week the member for Gympie said it wonderfully—thatLabor was not a bad government but an incompetent government. I probably would like to add anotherdescriptor to this—a profligate government: dams without pipelines, pipelines without dams, payrollwithout pays, resumptions without development, promises given and promises shamelessly broken, andwaste, waste, waste and more waste.

As I would watch the evening news and continually see blunder after blunder and the litany offailures and waste that the ALP was inflicting on both our state and our nation, I could almost hear thefamous Benny Hill chase soundtrack accompanying the TV images I was watching. The history offinancial illiteracy and mismanagement by the former Labor regime is no more evident than in theelectorate of Capalaba, a working-class electorate that spans the suburbs of Alexandra Hills, Birkdale,Thorneside and its namesake, Capalaba. These suburbs, like many others throughout Queensland,have been at the pointy end of the financial and planning ineptitude of Labor.

As I doorknocked and spoke to people while campaigning throughout the electorate, I wascontinually reminded by them of the impact the cost of living was having on their homes and theirfamilies. The unprecedented rises in rego, water, electricity and public transport, the sneaky new levyhere and the extra surcharge there, were a constant source of angst amongst those I spoke with.Labor’s incremental, all-pervasive cost-of-living rises were best described to me as ‘like being pecked todeath by a duck’. That is exactly the net effect of those increases on many in the Capalaba electoratewho have slowly been financially weighed down by price rise after price rise, many to the point ofbreaking. This is why I chose to run as the member for Capalaba, to be a voice for those in myelectorate who have been let down and who deserve better.

I am currently having framed a sign which will hang on my wall. It simply says ‘44 years’. It mightsound like an unusual message, but for me that sign will be a daily reminder of the great trust the peopleof Capalaba have placed in me to represent them in this House. That message of 44 years was given tome on polling day. An elderly gentleman introduced himself at the polling booth and shook my hand.Holding on to my hand he looked me in the eye and said, ‘Forty-four years, Steve.’ I must have looked abit confused because he squeezed my hand a little harder and repeated the same thing: ‘Forty-fouryears, Steve. For 44 years I have voted for Labor and I just can’t do it anymore. Please do notdisappoint me. You have my vote.’

That one short message should be a salient reminder to those of us here in this place: we cannotand must not stop listening to those whom we are entrusted to serve. So this is my pledge to the mumsand dads, the families, the hardworking tradies, the businesspeople and all the people whom Irepresent, regardless of their political persuasion: I will do all that I can not to disappoint you. I am notafraid of hard work, and I commit to having a listening ear, a strong local voice and an open door to you.

It has been said that the moral test of a government is how it treats those who are at the dawn oflife, the children; those who are at the twilight of their life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadowof life, the sick, the needy and the disabled. Those opposite proclaim to be the party of social justice, butI am afraid that Labor’s bad economics has resulted in very poor social justice outcomes. Queenslandand seats like Capalaba need more than just social justice rhetoric; they need outcomes.

We are unfortunate enough to have been bequeathed by the former government a record debtthat equates to some $600,000 an hour in interest—every hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.How many hospital beds could that provide? How many respite days would that provide for the family of


a disabled child? How many homes would it provide to the most needy in our community? It beggarsbelief. The only way we can deliver on positive social justice outcomes is by delivering fiscal prudence.We must get our budget back into the black and get our AAA credit rating back, and I truly believe thatwe have the right economic plan, leader and team to do this. As we do this, however, we must continueto strengthen the pillar of our front-line services. One of the most pressing issues that came across mypath from day one of the campaign has been the need to improve services for the disabled in theCapalaba electorate and the broader Redlands. As a result, I commit now to being a voice for themarginalised in my community and to seeing these services delivered.

In wrapping up, I would like to take a few minutes to thank some people. Before I do that, though,I would like to acknowledge the former member for Capalaba, Michael Choi. Michael, I believe, is a manof integrity who because of his conviction crossed the floor on a number of key issues, no doubt to thedetriment of his political career. I would also like to put on the record that Michael ran a clean and honestcampaign, which I respect. This is in contrast to the broader state campaign that certainly stooped tosome new lows.

I would like to thank my God, who is my shepherd, and my family, especially my wife, Simone,who during the nearly 12 months of campaigning did not get to see a whole lot of me and had to pick upa lot of slack around the home. To my daughters, Tanielle and Brooke: thanks for being there for yourdad and sending out numerous shout-outs to your friends on Facebook to help on election day. Having15 seriously attractive 20-something-year-old girls manning my booths certainly did not hurt my chancesof winning!

To Josh, my son-in-law, and his dad, Trevor: your family’s help on the booths on the day wasawesome. Thank you. To my brother Brett, who is in the gallery: you are more than a brother; you aremy best friend. Your support over the years and in this year especially has been something else.

To my fellow bayside MPs, both state and federal—Mark Robinson, Peter Dowling, AndrewLaming and Ross Vasta: your wisdom and encouragement around politics and campaigning wasinvaluable. What a team we now make. To the crew at LNP HQ, especially the finance team: you mademy life so easy. I was so new to campaigning but your grace and patience was incredible. I would like tomake a special mention of a few people: Kepa Andrews, James Mackay, Mitch Redford, BarryO’Sullivan and Bruce McIver. They were real encouragers for this new guy in politics.

To my campaign team: there are so many of you to mention so I will simply name a few of theteam who, rain, hail or shine, made an effort to fly the LNP flag—John Aderman, Barry Dwyer, JohnColvin, John and Anne Titman, Chanade Brandon, Courtney Dore and Mark Neville, and many, manymore.

In any campaign there are those for whom, if they did not come on board, the win would havebeen highly dubious. For the Capalaba campaign of 2012, there were three such people. The first is myshield bearer, Ed Barclay, who was there whenever needed. You believed when many others doubted.Mate, I couldn’t have done it without you. Daryl Home, your support and encouragement are withoutequal. Whenever we needed a hand, you were always there. You have waited a long time to see thisday. This win is for you, champ. To my campaign manager, Lachlan Crane: you went way above the callof duty, deferring your uni degree, roping in your girlfriend, friends and family and—I know this was thebig one—getting up at 5 am to do roadsides. It was tough, I know. Your character and integrity combinedwith your talents bode well for your future, and I am proud to call you my friend.

My final thankyou is to the Premier. Mr Premier, your courage in running in a seat like Ashgrovewith no guarantee of a win certainly inspired me. You led from the front and you led by example. I amextremely proud to be part of the government you lead.

In closing, I would like to thank the residents of Capalaba for their trust and support. As Imentioned earlier, I commit myself to serving them diligently and being their representative in thisHouse. Mr Deputy Speaker and members, I thank you for this opportunity to speak this afternoon.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member for Mount Coot-tha, I note that this isthe member’s first speech and as such the member shall be heard in silence.

Mrs RICE (Mount Coot-tha—LNP) (3.49 pm): I am deeply honoured and humbled to address thischamber for the first time as a member of the 54th Parliament. It is a further privilege to be part of thefirst ever LNP government and a member of Premier Campbell Newman’s can-do team dedicated toputting Queensland back on track and back in the limelight.

I am tremendously proud to be the member for Mount Coot-tha and I first and foremost wish torecord very simply a sense of honour and privilege at being elected to represent the wonderful people ofmy local area. I am here to represent all the people of Mount Coot-tha, to be their voice on issues thatwill affect their lives, their families and their futures, whatever their beliefs or political philosophy. Mycommitment is to give the needs of the electorate my priority in all that I do and all that I say as amember of parliament and to represent the people of Mount Coot-tha with all the vigour, courage andability I have to offer—to represent them with honesty, with humility, with dedication to service and,above all, with their interests paramount at all times.




Mount Coot-tha is an area defined by the character of its residents, the sense of community andthe care and commitment shown by residents to each other, by residents to small business owners andby business operators to residents. It is a community which embraces the best of human nature, acommunity where true friends are your neighbours and local shop owners, where names are known andwhere care, concern and laughter flow in equal measures.

Its geographical borders encompass the inner western Brisbane suburbs of Toowong, Milton,Auchenflower, Paddington, Red Hill, Bardon and parts of Taringa and Kelvin Grove. It is a very down-to-earth district, where students from the world over live side by side with many business and professionalpeople, many young couples buying their first homes and retired people—and each of themacknowledges the privilege of sharing our sensational part of Brisbane.

If you really want to strive and work hard, the Mount Coot-tha district embraces you. It is theepitome and home of small business. The hardworking, risk-taking business owners of the local areaare an essential component of the community, and I and all residents thank them for hanging on throughthe tough times and recognising that the LNP government will bring back hope and opportunity bygetting off their backs so they can get on and do their great thing—creating local employment andcreating wealth for our state.

We need not look far to see all of these wonderful attributes in reality. I am looking forward todelivering on a commitment by this LNP government to work with local business owners, residents andkey stakeholders to bring about the beautification of Rosalie Village and Milton’s Park Road—two areaswhich suffered greatly in last year’s flood yet witnessed the greatest community spirit in its aftermath.Together, we shall translate vision into reality, and the beautification project will greatly assist the localcommunities and many small businesses by further enhancing the area’s reputation as the place to live,work, shop and dine.

I would also like to acknowledge the many and varied local community organisations—such asRotary Planetarium, Toowong Rotary, the Brisbane Inner West Chamber of Commerce, the BrisbaneWest Chamber of Commerce, the Caxton Street Development Association, Paddington Meals onWheels, Western Suburbs Meals on Wheels, the Toowong and District Historical Society, the NationalSeniors Toowong Branch, Toowong Seniors, the Lang Park PCYC, the numerous school communities,the Vera Street Community Garden, the Toowong Creek Rehabilitation Group, Save Our WaterwaysNow, Communify, the Bardon RSL Sub Branch and the Bardon Lions. These organisations provide sucha wonderful community service and have welcomed me warmly.

I stand here not only as a representative of the 29,000 electors of Mount Coot-tha but also as amember of the Liberal National Party—a party which I have had membership of almost since itsinception and a party whose philosophy I have never doubted to meet the needs and demands ofQueensland and Australia. Like markers guiding my decision making when faced with the work ofgovernment, I will hold these principles close: a strong belief in the individual, in the dignity and freedomof every citizen to live their life free from the tyranny of government; the right to succeed, to acceptresponsibility, to work harder if they wish and to be rewarded for it; and the belief that the individual’ssuccess is the community’s success. Indeed, only through the creation of community wealth by theefforts of individuals in the community is it possible for government to undertake social welfare programsand to fund their operations.

I believe the previous government ignored the place of the individual in many of its economicpolicies and provided disincentives to the individual. The dire legacy of the former government is thelargest debt in Queensland’s history, with businesses stifled by red tape, bureaucracy and unnecessarynew taxes such as the waste levy. As we heard earlier today, this new government will remove that levyon 1 July and reduce red tape by 20 per cent to free business from the binds they have endured.

Supporting the individual and their enterprise is central to the Liberal National Party. Theindividual’s success is the community’s success. I repeat those words as they resonate in the electorateof Mount Coot-tha and indeed all over our diverse state and wide country. Above all, the LNP is a partyof opportunity and encouragement. It recognises that opportunities are available to everyone—regardless of age, gender and economic or social circumstances. It inspires an enterprising economy,where barriers to opportunity are minimised. It offers a hand up to those who require it. It inspires theindividual. It values small business as much as big business. It values taxpayers’ money. It places clearfocus on productivity, job growth, sustainable development, the environment and quality education.

It is incumbent upon us to provide an environment that gives equality of opportunity. Central tothis sense of opportunity—and individual opportunity—must be the role of education and training. I amdelighted to be working with the Minister for Education, Training and Employment, the Hon. John-PaulLangbroek, in my role as Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education. We both share a strongpassion for quality education across all levels, recognising it is the platform which fosters and empowersthe individual and creates the workforce of the future.

My background is in global employment programs and in policy development and appraisal aspart of Senate committee secretariats. I have served as a policy adviser on education to Senator theHon. Brett Mason. I have gained a degree in economics and a masters in international law on tertiary


campuses. I have attended all three varieties of schools—public, Catholic and independent. I relish theopportunity to work with the minister in inspiring the talents and passions of all Queenslanders throughschools—be it in the classic realms of literacy and numeracy, or sports, or the arts in its myriad andmagnificent forms, or further education and training, or the much-needed technical and trades skills. Ifpeople love what they do, they do it joyfully and with passion. That is my desire for a dynamic andproductive Queensland. The key to creating this vitality, prosperity and stability for our state iseducation. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that the secret of education lies in respecting the pupil. Thefreedom of choice and opportunity which is part of this government’s education policy respects thattruth.

I thank the Premier for entrusting me as assistant minister with this all-important portfolioresponsibility. Be assured that I will work tenaciously and joyfully to repay that trust. During thecampaign for the seat of Mount Coot-tha I promised to make local schools safer by installing flashinglights in school zones. I am delighted that this will soon be underway for Toowong, Milton and Bardonstate schools, reflecting the priority of the LNP government for safe schools and quality education. TheMount Coot-tha electorate also of course encompasses the highest peak in Brisbane, Mount Coot-tha—sitting 287 meters above sea level and famed for its views, bushland, Botanic Gardens, Planetarium,bike trails, parks and waterfall, television and radio towers. Before the Moreton Bay penal settlement,Mount Coot-tha was the home of the Turrbal Aboriginal people. Early Brisbane people called it One TreeHill after bush at the top of the peak was cleared except for one large eucalypt tree. The Turrbal peoplewould collect kuta, or honey, that was produced by the native stingless bee. Mount Coot-tha—or theplace of honey, a derivative of the Indigenous term—replaced the former title One Tree Hill in 1880when the area was declared a public recreation reserve. On behalf of the people of Mount Coot-tha, Iwish to acknowledge and thank the Turrbal people for caring for this landmark and lending us its name.

Mount Coot-tha was first contested at the 1950 election and was a safe Liberal seat until it wasrenamed Moggill at the 1986 election. However, the electorate name ‘Mount Coot-tha’ was retained andadopted as the new name for the former electorate of Ithaca, held by Liberal MP Col Miller. Mount Coot-tha was retained by the Liberal Party in 1986 but lost to Labor in 1989. It was then held by the ALP foralmost 23 years—until 24 March 2012. I wish to acknowledge my predecessor, Andrew Fraser, and thework he put into the community in his eight years of service and his dedication to education and I wishhim well in ventures ahead. Again I wish to record my thanks to the residents of Mount Coot-tha for theoverwhelming support and confidence that they have shown in me and the LNP government. As thesixth member for Mount Coot-tha I am committed to making the local area thrive and working with allresidents to deliver on that vision. I recommit to addressing the important issues facing residents—supporting small business, lowering the cost of living, better planning for roads and schools, easingtraffic congestion and improving public transport. As a first-time candidate, these were my pledges tothe residents of Mount Coot-tha. As a first-time member, they remain my pledges to all Mount Coot-tharesidents and I shall work tirelessly to achieve them.

In my new role as a member of parliament it is my deep desire to improve the perception ofpolitics and politicians. An all-time low was struck in the 2012 state campaign, with negative andpersonal attacks overshadowing policy and positive plans for Queensland. I know from discussions withresidents that they are disenchanted, tired and fed up with the negativity in politics, which in turn fuelsintense cynicism of and disillusionment with politicians and our profession. It may sound a loftyaspiration, yet one of my goals is to work on changing people’s perceptions of MPs. It is about doingpolitics differently, and that is why I am honoured to be part of the can-do LNP team with ourcommitment to do just that. In the Premier’s maiden speech in this chamber two weeks ago he spoke ofnever lording it over the people, never assuming government knows best and never losing the people’strust. He is already making good on his pledges to reduce the costs of living, and he will make good onall of his pledges. He is a fine example of doing politics differently, and I know that the Premier and all ofthe 77 members of the Liberal National Party here today will never forget our government is for thepeople, by the people, of the people.

I have always believed that entering public office should be one of the highest callings and thatbeing able to direct your energies and abilities to the betterment of your community, your state or yourcountry is one of the greatest contributions of all, and I have always had an intense conviction thatindividuals can make a difference to the life of their times. This is a vocation. I know my colleagues seeit that way, because if you do not have the passion to work for a better future you are taking the seat ofsomeone who does. This was the motivation for me to seek preselection for the seat of Mount Coot-thaand it is my motivation as the member for Mount Coot-tha today.

I have many to thank for inspiring that motivation and for the unconditional support they havegiven me. My mother, Gail, who is here today, has taught me the importance of compassion, of serviceand, as a transformational kinesiologist with her own practice in Sydney, has always inspired me withthe wisdom that I am responsible for creating everything in my life and I must therefore takeresponsibility and also learn from every situation. My late father Ian, a publican and smallbusinessperson, and my step-father Frank, a businessman as well as a rugby league player and coach,showed me the merits of hard work and individual enterprise. My grandfather Harry—a long-time council


worker, a cabbie, a man of wisdom and an all-round great bloke—instilled in me a love of the democraticprocess—and the races—and he never wavered in his support of my desire to serve. He was not aliveto see it, but I know he was backing me all the way past the winning post from the best seat in the houseupstairs.

Like all of us, I would not be standing here today without the extraordinary support of an incredibleteam—without the generosity and friendship of my parliamentary colleagues and mentors at all levels ofgovernment with the advice and help they so readily gave and continue to give and without theunflinching and exemplary support from the executive and secretariat of the LNP. There is no way toexpress my magnitude of gratitude to the team of Mount Coot-tha volunteers. You know what you meanto me. I thank you all. To name each and every one of you and portray just how much you contributed toour successful campaign would require a maiden speech of several hours duration. However, there area number of people I simply must mention, many of whom are here today: Tania Wright, Jac Archer,Fraser Stephen, Sharyn Watkins, Amy Cobb, Judith Maestracci, Steph Heath, Helen Zappala, LeighWarren, Brodie Thompson and the UQ Liberal Club, Amanda Stoker, Kate Pasfield, Emma Yabsley,Jamie Baker, Luke Barnes and the Brisbane Central Young LNP, Geoff Esdale, Tony Gleeson, MitchRedford, James McGrath, Jon Stewart, Lisa Newman, Bruce and Ruth Kidd, Ray and Geraldine Heron,my parents-in-law Graham and Dorte Rice, and my good friend and colleague the member for BrisbaneCentral. Thank you for your dedication and endless support. I truly could not have done it without you.

Finally, to my wonderful husband Thomas, I thank him for his unconditional love, support,patience and incredible organisational skills over the more than year-long campaign. Indeed, you weremy greatest supporter and a tireless source of encouragement. And like the first bloke of Pumicestone,you are now referred to fondly and meritoriously as the ‘first bloke of Mount Coot-tha’.

I again wish to acknowledge and sincerely thank the people of Mount Coot-tha for allowing me torepresent them in this parliament. Their trust in me is met with respect for each and every resident. Iassure the House and the people of Mount Coot-tha of my dedication to service with integrity andhumility and I borrow the favourite saying of Michelangelo: ancora imparo—I am still learning. To that Iadd my own words: may it always be so. I thank the House for its kind indulgence to a new member.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Dr Robinson): Order! Before I call the member for Whitsunday, I notethat this is the member’s first speech and as such the member shall be heard in silence. I call themember for Whitsunday.

Mr COSTIGAN (Whitsunday—LNP) (4.08 pm): It gives me tremendous pleasure to rise as thefirst LNP member for Whitsunday, fulfilling my dream of representing a region that is very dear to myheart. First, though, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Speaker of the House on her historicappointment; the Premier, the Hon. Campbell Newman MP, on his historic election; and all members ontheir success in being part of the 54th Parliament.

I look around the House and think back to 1865, when the foundation stone was laid—the sameyear that my great-great-grandfather came to Mackay as a pioneering police officer, having previouslyserved as an officer of the Royal Irish Constabulary before arriving in Queensland. Pat Costigan servedin Mackay and nearby Walkerston and by 1873 took up his posting as the first officer in charge at Nebo.Five generations later, there is still plenty of Nebo in my DNA. In fact, the Costigans have been inQueensland before there even was a Queensland, with William Costigan being part of that famous butill-fated expedition to the north led by Edmund Kennedy way back in 1848, landing on the shores ofRockingham Bay north of present-day Cardwell.

I come from humble stock in what used to be called the Brigalow Belt, well before the term‘Bowen Basin’ became part of Queensland’s vernacular, with the emergence of the juggernaut that isnow the coalmining industry in the Mackay-Whitsunday hinterland. Back in the days when just getting toMackay was a huge trip in itself, my grandparents, parents and uncles all worked the land under themost difficult circumstances on stations such as Fort Cooper, Dabin, Wards Well, Weetalaba andUrannah, just to name a few. For many years my late grandfather Kelly Costigan also owned andoperated Costigan’s General Store at Nebo. He also had a mail run and served the Nebo community asan honorary ambulance officer, something I was reminded of when visiting a leagues club during mycampaign.

However, unlike my forebears, I grew up on the coast, initially in working-class South Mackay,where I was firstly educated at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School. Being the son of a single parent,money was extremely tight in those formative years and I will always be grateful to the Sisters of Mercy,who allowed me to commence schooling at St Mary’s and put me on the right path in life. My lategrandmother Annie Costigan was hardly a Catholic. In fact, being a Mackenzie, she was on the oppositeside of the fence. But it was Nanna who played a pivotal role in sowing the seeds of my success inadulthood simply by introducing me to rugby league, the greatest game of all. As old-timers aroundMackay may recall, I would be with her every Sunday at the showgrounds watching football, being ballboy at the football, and eventually for MVQ-6, the local TV station, calling the football—an opportunitythat would eventually lead to a long and fruitful career in media and broadcasting, including a decade ofcalling the NRL to TV audiences on Fox Sports. On that note, go the Cowboys!





Scholastically, I was solid but far from brilliant. I would use my biology classes to write up rugbyleague reports for ABC Radio’s 4QA in Mackay—no cutting of cane toads. During our lunchbreaks Iwould pretend with my mates under the big fig tree at Mackay State High School that we were part of thegovernment of the day. Yes, an interest in politics and public affairs was stirred many moons ago. By theage of 16, while living in housing commission on Mackay’s north side, I had made up my mind that Iwould be a journalist. After all, there was no money back then calling footy, and after doing a day’sfencing under the hot North Queensland sun out the back of Collinsville it was plainly obvious that thissugar stick from Mackay would not be following his uncles into being a ringer. So given my appreciationof English, work experience and sheer enthusiasm, I cracked it as a cadet reporter, starting work on theBowen Independent newspaper at the top of the Whitsundays straight out of high school. From thatpoint on I would mix with people from all walks of life: miners, railway workers, farmers, townies,bushies, battlers—you name it—and predominantly it happened in regional communities in North andCentral Queensland. That ability to engage with people regardless of their socioeconomic status, colouror religion I believe has put me in good shape to stand in this place in the privileged role of representingthe people of Whitsunday.

I could be a little biased, but I believe that the electorate of Whitsunday is the best geographicalslice of Queensland. After all, the electorate I represent is home to the world-famous Whitsundayislands—places like Brampton, Hayman, Hamilton and Lindeman. The Whitsunday islands are alsohome to iconic locations such as Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef—and how could I forget, of course,one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef? If you do not call me the memberfor Whitsunday, then how about ‘the member for paradise’?

The mainland part of my electorate is just as captivating, with Whitsunday also partly home to theEungella National Park, Eungella being Aboriginal for ‘land of the clouds’. On that note I acknowledgethe Indigenous people of my electorate, the Yuibera and Juru people, who were here well beforelegendary explorer Captain James Cook sailed right past our very front door, giving us the name itself—Whitsunday—on Whit Sunday in 1770. In the northern part of the electorate you will find the famoustourist town of Airlie Beach and adjoining communities such as Cannonvale and Jubilee Pocket, themighty sugar-milling town of Proserpine, where my eldest daughter attends school—well, normally—and scenic coastal communities such as Conway, Dingo Beach and Hydeaway Bay.

To the west the electorate takes in the old goldmining village of Dittmer as well as the Peter FaustDam, one of the great water storage facilities of the north. South of the O’Connell River, where the bulkof Whitsunday voters now reside, we have close-knit communities in the cane fields—towns andvillages such as Bloomsbury, Calen, Mount Ossa, Kuttabul and The Leap. On the coast you comeacross places like Midge Point and the Hibiscus Coast, comprising Seaforth—where I have fondmemories of holidaying as a child—Ball Bay, Haliday Bay and Cape Hillsborough, the cape beingfamous for its kangaroos wandering the beach as the sun rises over the warm waters of the Coral Sea.

Last but not least, we have the burgeoning city of Mackay—a city where I was born and bred—with Whitsunday taking in the northern suburbs of Glenella and Mount Pleasant, neighbouring localitiesnorth of the Pioneer River, plus the entire Northern Beaches, home to fast-growing suburbs such asBlacks Beach, Eimeo, Rural View and Shoal Point but lacking in basics such as a high school after twodecades of Labor.

When I was a little boy Mackay was the undisputed sugar capital of Australia. After all, there wereno fewer than eight mills within 90 minutes of the Ron Camm Bridge—a bridge named in honour of aformer long-serving member for Whitsunday whose contribution to public life I acknowledge, noting thatthe late Ron Camm served in the Nicklin, Pizzey and Bjelke-Petersen governments. Mr Camm wasDeputy Leader of the National Party, one of our predecessor parties, and served in various ministries,most notably that of mines and energy.

Although times have changed, the sugar industry is still a big and important part of theWhitsunday economy, with farms all the way from Foulden to Foxdale, Coningsby to Koolachu,supplying mills at Farleigh and Proserpine respectively. These farms have traditionally been passed onfrom one generation to another, and I particularly acknowledge the Maltese and Italian immigrants whocame to our beautiful part of North Queensland seeking opportunity and a better life by farming the landwith their bare hands. I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of the South Sea Islander peoplewhose descendants form a significant part of the Mackay-Whitsunday community to this day.

For the past 20 years, government regulation, or overregulation, has seriously threatened thelivelihoods of farmers, graziers and people engaged in small business, causing great distress to manyhardworking families. This is a sad state of affairs, remembering that 2012 happens to be the Year of theFarmer. During my time as a candidate I said that I would take a cane knife to such regulation and setabout restoring some balance between a strong and viable primary industries sector and theenvironment. No-one should misconstrue my remarks. I care for the environment—always have, alwayswill—and I cherish the many national parks and state forests in Whitsunday, from the Whitsundayislands to places such as Eungella, Conway and Cape Hillsborough on the mainland. Sadly, our parksand forests have been locked up like Fort Knox providing a haven for feral animals and the like. That is


something I want to see addressed, for good reason, during my time in parliament. I am sure that I amnot alone in expressing such views.

I mentioned the sugar industry, which in my electorate goes back to the early days of Europeansettlement: the 1860s in Mackay’s case and the 1890s in Proserpine’s case. But we cannot and will notoverlook the vital importance of the tourism industry in Whitsunday. The Whitsundays is the mosttourism dependent region on Australia’s eastern seaboard, but over the past two decades we havewitnessed the contraction of this once vibrant industry, something I and many others in places like AirlieBeach want to see reversed as quickly as possible. I have a vision for this industry: to see more planes,more direct flights and more tourists coming to the Whitsundays, some from faraway lands—a vision, Iknow, that is shared by the Premier. We also need to grow the domestic tourism market and make itmore attractive for Australian families and young couples to visit the Whitsundays like they used toinstead of jetting off overseas.

Boosting capacity in relation to flights is not the only pressing need. We also need to be mindful ofthe fact that most visitors to the Whitsundays come via the Bruce Highway—a road that needs to beupgraded, especially in the north. Specifically, I am fed up with the section between Mackay andProserpine that floods during our wet season. This section on the Goorganga Plains south of Proserpinemust be addressed sooner rather than later because it cuts my electorate and the Mackay-Whitsundayregion in half, remembering that this happens to be the biggest regional economy of the north. Toquantify that, we are talking about a gross regional product for Mackay and the Whitsundayssomewhere in the vicinity of $17 billion. To say that we do our bit for both the state and the nation is likesaying Bradman did his bit when he came out to bat in the baggy green.

The Bruce Highway, put simply, was just a line on the map under the previous Laborgovernments. If it was not, then why do we have a 250-kilometre section heading north from MountOssa without a single overtaking lane? This is something I will work hard to rectify thus improving roadsafety and productivity, something that should be applauded by both sides of the House. When onethinks about it, great tourism pioneers in the Whitsundays, people like the late Captain Tom McLean andthe late Keith Williams, must be wondering what on earth has happened to our tourism industry. For meit seems like only yesterday when Captain Tom’s Roylen Cruises sailed out of Mackay Harbour boundfor the Whitsunday islands and the Barrier Reef. They were the great days—indeed the glory days—oftourism in Mackay and the Whitsundays, when people from all corners of the globe would come to myhome town for what was the trip of a lifetime. If it was not Mackay then it was Shute Harbour which, in itsheyday, lay claim to being the second biggest passenger port in Australia behind Circular Quay.

Of course, the electorate of Whitsunday is more than just sugar and tourism. You only have todrive throughout the northern suburbs of Mackay, suburbs that form part of my electorate, to see thehuge influence of the coalmining industry, with many of my constituents working either directly orindirectly in this industry. It is an industry that has not looked back since the opening of the Goonyella toHay Point rail line in November 1971. Back then substantial investment in infrastructure, in particularregional infrastructure, happened in Queensland, and it is my vision to see another coming of thisinfrastructure making it even more desirable for people to settle, work and raise a family in electoratessuch as Whitsunday. The boom in the resources sector has brought prosperity to many, especiallyaround Mackay and the Whitsundays, but I am acutely aware that not everyone in our community hasshared in that prosperity and that many people working outside the sector struggle with everyday livingunderlined by issues such as housing affordability. I believe that the Newman LNP government can andwill address these issues and in general lower the cost of living—a pledge that resonated with voterseverywhere on 24 March 2012.

There are so many people I wish to thank for playing a role in my election as the member forWhitsunday. Firstly, can I acknowledge the guidance and support of three political mentors who haveserved our great nation in the federal parliament and continue to do so—namely, Alby Schultz MP, theretiring member for Hume, Senator the Hon. Ian Macdonald, shadow parliamentary secretary fornorthern and remote Australia, and Senator the Hon. George Brandis SC, Deputy Leader of theOpposition in the Senate and the shadow Attorney-General. It is great to see both senators in the Housetoday. Collectively in all parliaments, state and federal, these three gentlemen have 58 years ofexperience between them—no shortage of wisdom they have passed onto the member for Whitsunday.

I also acknowledge the support of my parliamentary colleagues—in particular, my neighbouringMPs immediately to the north and south respectively: Rosemary Menkens, the member for Burdekin,and Ted Malone, the member for Mirani, as well as George Christensen MP, the federal member forDawson. In becoming Whitsunday’s new MP, I would also like to pay tribute to my army of supporters,not just members of the LNP, but anyone and everyone who helped me in my 57-week campaign—acampaign that put us at breaking point, I am not ashamed to say, given the challenge before us,combined with the circumstances, which, for the record, included being a single father. As I said at mypreselection on 19 February 2011, we would fight Labor in the canefields, on the beaches and in all thetowns and villages in Whitsunday and we would fight to win. Well, we have won that fight, but it wouldnot have been possible without so many special people. Starting with my campaign team, chaired byCharlie Camilleri with Leanne Fordyce as secretary and including Shelley Argent, Dee Bilborough, Bill


and Julie Boyd, Colin Croyden, Paul Fordyce, Michael Jones, Ken Kelly, Sean Kelly, Tony Large, Billand Margaret McLean and Stan Wright. I also wish to acknowledge the Mackay-Whitsunday Young LNPbranch, people such as Cian Middleton, Ari and Tahlia Oliver, Daniel Sullivan, and everyone associatedwith our five senior branches across the electorate, Glenella, Sunset Bay, Calen-Bloomsbury,Proserpine and Airlie Beach. Special and sincere thanks also to Les and Nardine Durnsford, Jim andRosa Wort, Bill and Eileen Deicke, Maxine and Trevor Bassett, Sam and Lois Deguara, Jacqui Kersten,Brian Nicole and my old mate David Russo. Working together we ended a run of seven consecutivelosses in Whitsunday, allowing us to win for the first time in more than a quarter of a century. For the truebelievers, some of whom I have just mentioned, it was a magic result.

Last but not least, I would like to acknowledge the support, love and understanding of my family,particularly my two darling daughters, Brianna and Bridie, in the gallery today and joined by my dearmother, Nola, who has probably told everybody in Mackay by now that she is my mother—not for thefirst time either.

If there is one thing I will be doing in this job, it is fighting for our fair share as I stand up for thepeople of Whitsunday, including those people who did not vote for me. I particularly hope to reach out tothe bushies and the battlers, people in small business, tradies and pensioners—the ‘forgotten people’ inthe words of Sir Robert Menzies. I have a burning passion for my electorate—indeed, the Mackay-Whitsunday region, the North and regional Queensland in general. That is the principal reason I standhere in the House today: in the hope of making a difference, to make the system better. It is a passion Ican assure you, Mr Deputy Speaker, will be obvious to all and sundry for as long as I have theopportunity to represent the good people of Whitsunday.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Dr Robinson): Order! Before I call the member for Townsville, I note thatit is the member’s inaugural speech. As such, the member shall be heard in silence.

Mr HATHAWAY (Townsville—LNP) (4.29 pm): Mr Deputy Speaker, I offer you my personal andhearty congratulations on your appointment to that position and ask if you would you be kind enough torelay the same to Madam Speaker. At the outset of my first speech, I acknowledge how I welcomed theGovernor’s message to us as members of this parliament and for me as part of the new government.I am humbled and honoured to be able to provide my reply in response. Her Excellency clearly outlinedher expectations of her government. They are many and they are important to getting Queensland backon track. Clearly, the Governor and the people of Queensland have great expectations for thisgovernment. While there are challenges, I recognise that those will be overcome with the very strongleadership of our Premier and his executive. For my part, I willingly commit myself to this team andaccept this challenge for the people of Townsville and North Queensland.

I was also very humbled and honoured to be able to take my oath in front of you all. It was a littleover three decades ago that, as a younger and slimmer 17-year-old, I made a very similar oath to mysovereign and nation and since that time I have guided my life and work in accordance with that originalcommitment. It was with pleasure that I was able to re-state my oath in this chamber to our sovereignand our nation, and, on this occasion, to the great state of Queensland and the people of Townsville.Rather than reflect on my own 30 years of service with the Army, I acknowledge those amongst us fortheir service to their nation: the Royal Australian Navy—the member for Ferny Grove; the AustralianArmy—our Premier and member for Ashgrove, the Minister for Housing and Public Works and memberfor Moggill, the Minister for Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services and member for Aspley,the member for Warrego, the member for Gympie and the member for Rockhampton; the RoyalAustralian Air Force—the member for Kallangur; the United States Marine Corps—the member forLogan. If I have missed anybody I sincerely apologise. However, let it serve as a reminder to updateyour bio details on the parliamentary website.

At this point I would like to introduce to the chamber a reflection from an old soldier. Some in thischamber would have heard of him and many of us from the north would know him. Brigadier ‘Warrie’George Mansford AM is a soldier’s soldier, author and resident of North Queensland. He enlisted in theAustralian Army in 1951 and served for 40 years as an infantryman. His service included Korea, Malaya,Vietnam, New Guinea and Singapore. He was commissioned from the ranks in the year that I was born,1964. He raised and commanded the Army’s battle school and jungle training centre at Tully, the 11thBrigade based in Townsville and the reconnaissance and surveillance force in Far North Queensland.To this day a sign hangs outside the entrance to the Land Warfare Centre in Tully that carries a quotefrom Brigadier George. It states—The oath to serve your country as a soldier did not include a contract for the normal luxuries and comfort enjoyed within oursociety. On the contrary it implied hardship, loyalty and devotion to duty regardless of rank. This place is here to remind you of thatoath.

Such a sign fills soldiers who pass it with trepidation—not a fear of the hardships to which it refersbut a fear of not being up to the challenge and a fear of personal failure. It is that fear of failure thatdrives those diggers to achieve mission success. My purpose for quoting this soldier and commander isnot to lecture the honourable members of this chamber, but merely to reflect the personal import andconviction that I place on my oath to our sovereign and nation, Queensland and the good people ofTownsville. For me, it will provide my guidance each and every day by focusing my efforts simply: how




can I make Townsville and Queensland a better place for today and tomorrow? Simply put, our oathmade in this House puts to us service before self.

For those in the House today who know Townsville and its people, they will know that it is a city ofdiversity both in geography and economy. While as a seat of the north it is often referred to as a regionalseat, it is largely metropolitan in its nature. For example, we enjoy being the home of one of the nation’sleading universities which is arguably, in certain faculties, a world leader, and that is the James CookUniversity. Townsville’s development gives rise to some of the benefits of being a city, but, likewise, itsuffers from many of the growing pains that one would expect are commonplace in more heavilyurbanised seats such as those of the south-east.

My seat encompasses a growing CBD, which still has significant potential for future growththrough well planned and targeted development. All of this is set adjacent to an extremely beautiful,scenic and fortunately under developed tropical coastline. Ringing the CBD are the well establishedsuburbs of South Townsville, Railway Estate, Rosslea, Hyde Park, my own suburb of Hermit Park, WestEnd, Belgian Gardens, Rowes Bay, Pallarenda, Pimlico, Garbutt and Mount Louisa. Unlike themetropolitan seats in the south-east, we are also blessed with a number of tropical paradise islands,including both Palm Island and Magnetic Island. Those islands are important to the makeup and flavourof Townsville and North Queensland.

Our people are robust, innovative and friendly. However, over the past two decades they havebeen hamstrung by successive Labor governments that have played lip service to Queensland’s‘second capital’. For too long the people of Townsville have not been heard, let alone listened to. Theysimply seek a fair hearing and a commitment for action. Local Townsville small business owners likePearl Smith from Jap Motors or Graham Both from Both Transport want to lose the millstone ofregulation, red tape and job-destroying taxes that act as a disincentive to do or grow business in thenorth. Our businesses do not want the government as a compulsory partner. They simply wish theirgovernment to assist—yes, assist; not to do and not to make, but to assist—with establishing andsetting the conditions for success. In Townsville we also recognise that such a government needs to bedelicately poised to ensure that it governs with compassion and gives a fair go to all. We understandthere will always be those within our communities who require assistance. We need a government thatsets clear policies and then, by its actions, provides the opportunity for ongoing renewal and growth, agovernment that catalyses the disadvantaged to overcome and a government that will protect those whocannot.

As a military logistician I am well trained in the importance of strategic assets such as airports,railheads, sea ports and highways. Those are always the key assets that a commander seeks to secureand develop in order for him or her to protect their force and to have the freedom of manoeuvre toachieve their mission. Accordingly, Townsville provides North Queensland with its strategic gateway tobring our natural resources, value added, to world markets, to service the massive pastoral industry.And all this is set within our magnificent natural environment. With the recent expansion of our northernmilitary presence, Townsville lies at the forefront of the Newman government’s four pillars, ready andable to get Queensland back on track. However, the residents of Townsville and, indeed, as we haveheard many times, those of North Queensland for that matter are only too well aware of what happensto their livelihoods and existence when vital infrastructure is cut as frequently as they are in the north.The Newman government’s commitment to the Bruce Highway is clearly welcomed by the people of thenorth as, indeed, is our government’s commitment to improving the flow of traffic in and out of thenorthern suburbs and businesses of our city through the remediation of Blakey’s Crossing and theupgrade of the Woolcock-Mather streets intersection.

I acknowledge that this week is National Reconciliation Week. On Saturday I was fortunate toattend the launch of the thesis of Professor Gracelyn Smallwood AM, titled Human rights and firstAustralians’ well-being. The thesis of Professor Smallwood is a very personal account and I know it willbe received by some as controversial. However, it is designed to invoke a broad awareness and topromote debate and discussion. I was honoured to meet with Gracelyn and I look forward to continuingto seek her opinion on many issues that impact on the Townsville community.

There are many amongst the Townsville and northern Indigenous community who see the changein government as providing a new level of Indigenous opportunity. This was clearly evidenced bywinning the Palm Island booth—the first time a conservative party has ever won Palm Island. I did notwin Palm Island; rather, the can-do attitude of a team for change won Palm Island. The residents ofPalm want to be masters of their own destiny. They are tired of the failed, demeaning and paternalisticpolicies of the last two decades. They desire change and they have spoken to me at length aboutseeking ownership of the outcome.

We need to work with this community of First Australians rather than do things to or for them.There were welcome words to this community from our Premier when visiting Townsville prior to theelection. He outlined a strong belief in the right of everybody to have a job, to own their own home and,if they choose it, to have a beer on their front porch after a hard day’s work. Premier, I can’t begin to tellyou how well this statement was received by the Townsville’s Indigenous community.


As the honourable members of this parliament know, the journey to a seat in this House is difficultand always very much a team effort. It was no different in the case of Townsville. Accordingly, there aremany people whom I should acknowledge for their advice, support and encouragement throughout thevery long campaign period and before.

Firstly to my parents, Tony and Maureen, who clearly gave me the opportunity and life tools forme to choose my own destiny. Their love, their strong family Catholic values and their commitment toservice before self have stood me in good stead in all that I have chosen to do. For that I am indebtedand truly thankful.

To those who have been more intimately involved with the campaign: the success across ourgreat city is all yours. To Senator Ian Macdonald, who is with us today, and Ewen Jones, the federalmember for Herbert: your advice and support was invaluable. To our local state members, RosemaryMenkens and Andrew Cripps: likewise, your advice and genuine encouragement at all times very muchdemonstrated our state team approach across greater Townsville.

To my close campaign team—Gordon Terry, Max Tomlinson, Calum Kippin, Sandra Richards,Chris Mills, Peg and Melinda Holborn, Marie McMullen, Matt Crossley and Julia Dixon—I say thank you.I say thank you for your advice, your support and your encouragement, which at times—and probablyrightly so—almost verged on harassment, but most importantly your friendship. To Delena, Steve andthe crew on Palm Island, I say thank you. To Jim, Dot, Ron and Col on ‘Maggie’, I say thank you. Thereare many more on the mainland. To Martin Gordon and Laura Sinclair for the many kilometres you drovedoing all those odd jobs, I say thank you. To Frank Probert—a finer gentleman you will never meet—who sat with me or for me on many listening posts, market stalls and every day at prepoll: I will nevergrow tired of your flying stories.

To Norm—my man in Garbutt: thank you for your friendship and encouragement. To DianeBowen, for your absolute faith in me and your ability to sell ice to eskimos, I thank you. To John Dwyer,who sits in the gallery this afternoon: thank you for your advice and the encouragement to stand and,despite your distance from Townsville, your ability to remotely rally the troops at those critical times.

To some of my former commanders and comrades in the profession of arms who, through yourtutelage and example, have done more to shape my character than you will ever know—LieutenantGeneral David Morrison; Major Generals Stuart Smith and Mark Kelly; Brigadiers Michael Paramor, NeilWeekes and David Saul—thank you.

To my good friend of 37 years James Purtill and his wife, Ann-Maree: thank you for your support,the many trips up to Townsville throughout the campaign and the safe haven you provided for my familyand me in Brisbane. To Peter Lindsay, who coordinated the campaign across Townsville and who hasdeveloped campaigning into an artform: thank you. To my campaigning colleagues Sam and David, whonow sit with me in this House: thank you for your friendship, cooperation and sharing the trip with meand the community of Townsville to this destination.

To my family, who could not be here today but who I know at this moment are watching thechamber broadcast live: thank you. To Simone: thank you for your support and love throughout the upsand downs of the campaign and the manner in which it was given freely and in spades. To my beautifuldaughters, Jemma and Victoria: it is you for whom I dedicate my efforts in all I do, to give you the bestcity and state that will sustain and grow you and your subsequent generations. At this juncture on family,I should also acknowledge the strength that my family drew from the example of our Premier’s family.Premier, not for a moment can I begin to imagine the pressure that Labor’s scandalous campaign ofpersonal and family attack placed on your wife, Lisa, and your daughters. However, I do recognise theabsolute grace and poise with which they weathered it.

Finally, to the people of Townsville: thank you for your trust, faith, friendship and sense ofcommunity. This is a community that has embraced soldiers, airmen and their families as their own andtruly made them feel at home. I have been commemorating Anzac Days for as long as I can remember.For 35 of those I was in uniform, initially as a school cadet and then as a serviceman. I have beenfortunate to commemorate Anzac Days all across this great country of ours and indeed overseas inCanada, Egypt and Gallipoli. While each of those commemorations has been unique in some specialway, nowhere has there been a turnout for its veterans and service personnel quite like in Townsville.The Townsville community’s respect for, engagement with and support of its troops have to be seen tobe believed. Our city shares the successes of its troops and equally feels the pain and grief for its fallen.

Recently I was fortunate enough to attend the ‘welcome home from operations parade’ for 1,100of Townsville’s service personnel. Not all amongst their number who departed our shores a year agowere on that parade. A number of them will never again answer the roll call. Not all of them were able tostand with their digger mates as a result of their injuries. The Townsville community genuinely embracedtheir return and acclaimed their sacrifices and shared their loss. Not a week later, I was attending thefarewell parade of another 350 of the city’s finest soldiers, shortly to deploy to Afghanistan. I know thatthese soldiers will give their all and best. They are well equipped and well trained. They take greatcomfort in knowing that when they leave behind their families they will be well looked after by theTownsville community.


The city and people of Townsville provide safe and comforting harbour to all our service personneland their families. They truly are a garrison city, and I feel humbled and honoured that they would take asoldier to represent them. I say thankyou to them and, in doing so, I commit to the people of Townsvilleto serve them, to secure their needs and, where I can, to pave the pathway for their aspirations. Irecognise that at times this may require me to argue the case for an issue that I may not personallyagree with but which the majority seek me to argue. There may also be occasions on which myupbringing and principles will not permit me to bend and, while I expect that these occasions will be veryrare, I hope that those few who may not agree with my position will recognise and perhaps understandmy conviction. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the indulgence of the House this afternoon. I nowresume my seat and look forward to serving Townsville.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member for Bulimba, I remind the House thatthis is the member’s first speech, and as such he is to be heard in silence.

Mr DILLAWAY (Bulimba—LNP) (4.49 pm): It is a great honour and privilege to rise here in theHouse today to give my address-in-reply speech as the new member for Bulimba in the 54th Parliamentof Queensland. I wish to congratulate Madam Speaker on her appointment to her role in this parliament,a role that I am certain she will make her own by operating this House with both fairness andindependence. I would also like to suggest that I have played a part in Madam Speaker’s appointment,albeit small, and I make this suggestion because the first campaign I ever worked on was MadamSpeaker’s re-election in 1995 as the member for Maroochydore—and a very successful campaign itwas.

I congratulate all members of the 54th Parliament on their election to this House, and I lookforward to working with each and every one of you to ensure we deliver a bright future for all the peoplewho call Queensland home. It is indeed an honour to be part of this historic LNP government. I wouldlike to pledge my loyalty to Queen Elizabeth II and her representative, Her Excellency the Governor ofQueensland, Penelope Wensley. I pledge my loyalty to the people of Bulimba, who entrusted in me theirfaith that I will always, first and foremost, represent their best interests in this House—a duty that I willensure defines my character and tenure as their representative for this term and, if the opportunity isgiven to me, in subsequent terms.

Many, many life experiences have brought me to this place today, so please indulge me while Ishare some with you. I was born and bred in the south-eastern suburbs of Brisbane, where my familyhas had a connection to the local area for well over 50 years. I am the youngest of three children, thesecond son of a hardworking, blue-collar, working-class man—a boilermaker by trade—and an equallyhardworking mother who has sacrificed so much for all her children to ensure we all have been giventhe greatest opportunities in life. Our family was, and is, not privileged by any means, yet the values ofhard work, ‘try your best’ and ‘if at first you do not succeed, try and try again’ kept food on our table, aroof over our heads and clothes on our back. It was those simple principles I learnt as a child that I hopeto entrust to my children. Given their backgrounds, I never quite understood why my father and motherwere so conservatively minded, but I do remember many a discussion at the kitchen table about politicsand life in Queensland through the seventies and eighties—some would say a turbulent time inQueensland’s political history but a time that my father would suggest was when Queensland grew upas a state and the state’s future prosperity was secured.

Although my father, Graham, is no longer with us, it is with a great sense of pride that my mother,Dawn, is in the public gallery today to see her youngest fulfil her dream that he would one day be aservant to the people of Queensland as an elected official. I am sure that my father would have also hada great sense of pride as he was forever loyal to his family, to the point that the last words I heard andunderstood from my father were, ‘Look after your mum,’ a value that I believe is part of my fabric todayand that is to put others before oneself.

Throughout my teenage years and my working career to date, in many ways I have beenfortunate to have lived and worked in so many places across Queensland and the world, but this hasonly reinforced to me what a great place Queensland is and how blessed we are. It has crystallised forme the desire to serve our community. Through these life experiences, I also gained a greaterunderstanding, appreciation and tolerance for the cultural and religious diversities that make up ourcomplex society. It is those life experiences that I will draw upon in my role as the member for Bulimba.No matter what your background, each and every member of the community will be treated with theutmost respect, because I strongly believe in the golden rule whereby one should treat others as onewould like others to treat oneself.

Like many of the newly elected members of this, the 54th Parliament, I have extensive experiencewithin the engine room of our state’s economy—small business—most recently as the senior managerof a local manufacturing company that has a deep-rooted history of innovation and supporting localcommunities. This experience in local industry and prior management roles has given me the groundingand knowledge of what pressures and opportunities exist for our state and its small businesses.

I am a family man, and I am blessed to have found such a loving and understanding wife in Amy,who, like my mother, is in the public gallery today to share this occasion with me. She has already





sacrificed so much in my pursuit to serve the people of Bulimba. She has worked tirelessly to keep ourlives in order and, most importantly, our children clothed, fed and entertained during the past 15months—all this while I campaigned for what seemed to be the equivalent of full time while continuing inmy paid employment that included extensive periods away overseas on business. I am biased when itcomes to my family and acknowledging their hard work, but my wife has done more than most,especially considering she gave birth to our third child, Amelie, in April last year.

I am sure most, if not all, members here today appreciate that it is our partners and our childrenwho sacrifice the most. With three children all under the age of eight, including one who is about to takeher first steps any day now, I am reminded of their sacrifice daily and thank them for their support andunderstanding of my new role and sharing my time with so many others in the community.

It is important for me to highlight some attributes of Bulimba here today. The electorate of Bulimbais rich in history. It has continuously existed since 1873, when it covered most of the south-easternsuburbs of Brisbane including as far east as Wynnum, across to Mount Gravatt and even as far south asCleveland. Since the redistribution in 1923, the boundaries have remained relatively unchanged fromthose that exist today, as did its party of representation.

Since 1923, the conservative side of politics has held the seat of Bulimba only twice. The first wasfrom 11 May 1929 to 1932 when Irene Longman, the first female to ever run for state politics, waselected as the first woman to the Queensland parliament. Irene Longman won the election by 400 votesand achieved a swing of just over 12 per cent in what many political commentators at the timeconsidered an unwinnable and very safe Labor seat. Parallels could be drawn between the result in1929 to the result of 24 March in so much as the political commentators also thought Bulimba wasunwinnable and a very safe Labor seat. However, I would like to point out for the record that IreneLongman held the seat for only one term, and that is one parallel I do not wish to see repeated.However, I do feel very honoured to be only the second conservative to represent the people ofBulimba. I will represent each and every one of the 50,000 people who call this part of Queenslandhome with the respect that they so richly deserve and with my full understanding that it is their decisionin three years time that will determine if I am given the privilege and honour to continue to representtheir needs in this House.

I am sure, however, that the environment of Bulimba has undoubtedly changed over the last 80years. As the most recent demographics indicate, professionally employed younger families are nowcalling Bulimba home as opposed to the working-class nature the area was once renowned for,including the meatworkers of Colmslie, the railway workers of Murarrie and the wharfies from Bulimbaand Balmoral. This diverse history has shaped Bulimba’s unique identity and it should not be forgottenbut, rather, celebrated. Despite their varied cultural, financial or spiritual backgrounds, Bulimba’sinhabitants share one enduring trait—a sense of community spirit that always shines through in both thegood times and the not-so-good times. It is this community spirit that sees some 200 communityorganisations actively operating in and around the electorate to make Bulimba a better place foreveryone. It is this community spirit that saw the people of Bulimba work together during and after thedevastating floods of 2011.

I stand here before you today after newly taking the mantle as the member with the smallestmargin of just 75 votes from the member for Redlands, who has held that title for the past three years.The battle for Bulimba was a tight contest and I would be remiss not to acknowledge the previousmember, Di Farmer, and her efforts in supporting the community over the past three years. Asrepresentatives and leaders within the community, it is our role to ensure that the community’s needsare best served and it should be without party allegiances.

Do not be mistaken, the election campaign in Bulimba was fought hard and with vigour over thepast 12 months, in particular during the last weeks of the campaign where attempts were made todiscredit my commitment to the party and to the people of Bulimba. As a long-term LNP member, mydecision on 21 March 2011 to step down as the preselected candidate for Ashgrove has been validatedby both the people of Ashgrove and in no uncertain circumstances by the people of Queensland. As Istand here in this chamber today and see how far around we are on the government side, I wear thatdecision as a badge of honour and at no time did I ever second-guess it. I am proud to be part of theLNP team and will continue to support the party in all that it aims to achieve.

I am equally proud to have such a long association with Bulimba and its surrounds. Having beenborn and bred in the south-eastern suburbs means that it will always be in my blood. The election wasabout a change of direction for Queensland. It was about getting Queensland back on track, and thepeople of Bulimba exercised that right of democracy. They chose to be part of the change because, likeme, they could no longer see our great state continue to lurch from disaster to disaster under the poormanagement and nonaccountability of a government that had lost its way. In fact, one could suggestthat they had not only lost their way, the previous government took Queensland backwards. We lost ourprized AAA credit rating, we sold off our assets and we took away the fuel subsidy, amongst otherbroken promises.


I saw and heard people’s frustrations at where our community was going. Every day, peoplewould come up to me on the street and every week I would open numerous letters from constituents thatstated they had voted for Labor for some 30 or 50 or 60 years and they claimed they could no longersupport a government that continued to attack their cost of living while wasting money on infrastructureprojects that delivered nothing but more pain on Queenslanders.

On one occasion, I was walking back towards my car and I saw a note tucked under mywindscreen wiper. I was very apprehensive as I moved closer. I thought someone must have hit my carand left a note to tell me about it. But, no, it was a letter of support and best wishes from another long-term Labor voter who worked at Queensland Health and had felt betrayed at the fact that thegovernment was not able to pay or support our nurses and doctors through the mismanagement of aHealth payroll system that has now cost the taxpayers of Queensland over $400 million. All up, theprevious government has left every single Queenslander with a legacy heading towards $85 billion ofdebt and now we still have the federal Labor government which is attacking Queensland further byimplementing a carbon tax that will cost Queensland jobs and put at risk future investment.

I want every Queenslander—young or old—to have the best public schools, the best public healthsystem and the best public transport system in Australia. I want a strong and viable state, with jobsaplenty across an array of industries now and into the future. I want, and so do the people of Bulimba,Queensland to be the No. 1 state again. That is why I pledge, like all the other LNP members, to grow afour-pillar economy, to lower the cost of living for families by cutting waste, to deliver better infrastructureand better planning, to revitalise our front-line services and to restore accountability in government. Thatis why I will continue to fight for improved public transport infrastructure, lower costs, improved reliabilityand greater frequency for the people of Bulimba. We are fortunate to have all three major forms of publictransport available to us across the electorate. It is by working to improve those services and therebygetting people back using them that we will start to win the battle of reducing the traffic congestion that isclogging our major arterial roads in and out of the city.

Imagine the opportunity to reduce our reliance on the motor vehicle and thereby reduce ourcarbon footprint through smart initiatives including building park-and-ride facilities where they areneeded and not just because they are outside a certain boundary from the city. Reducing trafficcongestion is not just about improved public transport facilities and services. It is about planning for thefuture population growth that our area will endure in the decades to come. It is about working with theBrisbane City Council to deliver positive outcomes and a holistic approach to the issue. I take thisopportunity to congratulate Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and his team on their re-election to City Hall.There are some key issues I look forward to working on with the Lord Mayor and his team.

I have a strong interest in improving education outcomes so that our children have everyopportunity to grow and learn to the best of their abilities. We are very fortunate in Bulimba to have somany great learning facilities, both public and private. I will be fighting hard to support the growth intoprep to year 3 that Cannon Hill Anglican College has planned over the coming years, and to improve theexisting infrastructure of schools like Balmoral State High School or Seven Hills State School byadvocating for a portion of the $115 million of funding our government made prior to this election to buildour future schools.

As a father of three young children, I am keenly interested in early childhood learning and how wecan ensure that early intervention will deliver the best possible outcomes. It gave me great pleasure tovisit Murarrie State School last Friday and advise them that they would be one of the first schools toreceive a boost in prep teacher aide funding in 2013. To say that they were excited at thisannouncement is an understatement. I also believe that the safety of our children in school and as theyarrive and depart is paramount. That is why I will also continue to fight for improved safety initiatives likeflashing school lights in and around schools like Saints Peter and Paul’s, Bulimba, Morningside andNorman state to name a few, where our children confront danger each and every day.

I saw firsthand through my participation in Clean Up Australia Day this year that much moreneeds to be done to ensure we continue as a community to work towards a sustainable and liveableenvironment. Like all members here today, I want to ensure for my kids and for generations to come thatwe protect our environment. That is why I will be excited to work further with Greening Australia and theNorman Creek and Bulimba Creek catchment groups—to name but a few of the many hard-workingenvironmental defenders we are fortunate to have within our community—by fighting hard to get our fairshare of our Everyone’s Environment: Cleaning up our Backyards funding.

We are also very fortunate to have many great sporting clubs in and around Bulimba, and I lookforward to advocating and facilitating on their behalf access to great initiatives like the Get in the Gamegrants. Unfortunately, many people across our community have struggled under the cost-of-livingpressures to even allow their children to participate in sports and I have heard this firsthand from bothparents and the club committees. I am proud that our government’s initiatives continue to recognise theimportance that sporting clubs contribute to the community, and I will fight hard to secure grants that willenable them to continue to be such.


To be here today takes a lot of teamwork and tireless effort, and as such I have so many people Iwish to thank for their assistance during the campaign. During the campaign time, I often pondered howany one person could possibly ever repay the faith and trust shown to them as an aspiring candidate bythe efforts of so many. The answer I have found is simple, and I have learnt that all that they desire is anoutcome that makes things in their mind better—nothing more and nothing less. I guess that is the truenature of a volunteer, whether it is on a school P&C committee, a Meals on Wheels delivery driver or, inthis instance, helping out a political organisation at the grassroots level.

Unfortunately, I am unable to name all of the people who have assisted my campaign as there isjust not enough time allotted. To the team at HQ, to all the booth captains, to the 100-plus workers wehad on polling day, to the drivers who delivered the sustenance, to the group of workers who set up thebooths the night before and to those who stayed behind to ensure nothing was damaged, to the pre-pollteam, to the good-natured door knockers who endured the heat week after week, to the amazingweekend warriors who waved at traffic every Saturday for over a year and then doubled as the weekdaywarriors who spent countless mornings and afternoons doing it all again, to the band of letterboxers whodelivered our messages with a spring in their step, to those people who contributed financially to thecampaign and to the business community who have supported my efforts—thank you.

I would also like to make some notable individual mentions. Thank you to my campaign manager,Josh. His enthusiasm, his hard work ethic, his wisdom and his commitment to the campaign wereunwavering. He is a young man whose political nous is years ahead of his age. Thank you to Jane Milnewho has agreed to continue on the journey with me. After being instrumental during the campaign, yourskills and sense of community will continue to be an asset during this term and hopefully many more.Thank you to my campaign team that included Martin, Eric, Nicole, Doug, Jane N and Marilyn. What anamazing group of people to work with and for. Your effort and your support from day 1 were inspiring andI know we have all formed friendships that will last a lifetime.

Thank you to the SEC committee and members who entrusted me to make a difference. It isdifficult to live and work for as long as some of them have in what was considered a very safe Laborseat. You always hope that one day your vote will be the vote that will deliver a change. That changewas delivered.

Thank you to the Hon. Larry Anthony and to one of our state’s greatest treasurers, Sir LlewEdwards, for your mentoring, assistance, guidance and advice. Most, if not all, I took and used the bestway I could. Thank you to the Premier, Deputy Premier and Treasurer for your efforts and support duringthe campaign. I look forward to working with you as the leadership team and the fair hearings you willgive me as I represent the views of the people of Bulimba.

Thank you to my extended family and network of close friends for all your support before andduring the campaign and in particular for enduring my political discussions over the years. Whether youwere on my side or you were just being downright difficult by choosing to debate me, it has all helped inmy development as a person. A special thanks to my immediate family. Family is the real glue thatbonds a community. To my beautiful wife, Amy, and our three gorgeous children, Lukas, Bella andAmelie, thank you for your support in the lead-up and during the campaign and, if I can be so cheekyand add, into the future.

Finally, thank you to the community of Bulimba. Thank you to those who voted for me. I know Ican repay your faith with the decisions I make on your behalf in the next three years. To those whochose to vote otherwise, I hope I can earn your trust on the decisions I will make on your behalf. It is aprivilege and an honour that I have long awaited and I look forward to serving and representing all of thepeople of Bulimba in this the 54th Parliament.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the member for Chatsworth, I remind the House thatthis is the member’s first speech and as such the member shall be heard in silence.

Mr MINNIKIN (Chatsworth—LNP) (5.08 pm): At approximately 20 minutes past seven on theevening of 24 March, I was able to fulfil a 20-year goal that I had set myself: to win the state seat ofChatsworth. As many members before me have said, it is a truly humbling experience and I feelabsolutely privileged to have been given this opportunity by the people of Chatsworth. At the point intime when the realisation had sunk in that I had actually won the seat, I felt an overwhelming sense ofresponsibility, and it is this notion of responsibility and what it entails that will be the cornerstone of myspeech tonight in this hallowed chamber. Before I begin to expand on the issue of responsibility, I wantto extend my congratulations to the Speaker of the parliament for her election as the first femaleSpeaker in this state’s history. It was an absolute privilege to be part of witnessing history, with herelevation to this important role at the last sitting of parliament.

I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet tonight, the Jagera andTurrbal peoples. I also want to reaffirm my allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen ofAustralia, and to her representative, Her Excellency the Governor, Penelope Wensley, and my loyalty tothis parliament and to the electors of Chatsworth.





My idol, Sir Winston Churchill, once stated, ‘The price of greatness is responsibility.’ I wish toaddress the notion of responsibility in two parts—one from the head and one from the heart. My speechwill outline several key areas including my responsibility to the state seat of Chatsworth, myresponsibility to uphold my core ideological values, taking responsibility for one’s own actions and risk,responsibility to our children and future generations, and our responsibility to the First Australians.

I have a responsibility to the Chatsworth electorate, which bestowed upon me a tremendoushonour on 24 March. Regardless of any ideological difference amongst this chamber, I am confident instating that one unifying responsibility that all members share is the need to provide effectiverepresentation for their electorates. As I walk into this wonderful chamber and realise that only 1,159men and women have previously had the honour of being here before the 54th Parliament, the uniqueprivilege we all have dawns on me. I am delighted that primary school children, along with othermembers of the Chatsworth electorate, are present in the public gallery tonight—and they are rightfullypositioned above me, where they should be; I am indeed their servant. The moment that this augustchamber no longer feels special and is taken for granted is the day that I should resign.

I have a responsibility to work hard for the people of Chatsworth, just as my political predecessorshave from both sides of politics. They include Sir Thomas Hiley, Bill Hewitt, Terry Mackenroth, MichaelCaltabiano, Chris Bombolas and Steve Kilburn. Whilst, understandably, I do not share the same politicalphilosophy as all of the previous members for Chatsworth, one uniting thing we all share is a love of thisouter eastern area of Brisbane. Special mention should be made of former member for Chatsworth BillHewitt, who gave me wonderful advice and even distributed letterbox material on several occasionsthroughout the campaign. That he did this even though the terrain was hilly and he is in his 80s sums upthe character of the man.

I have lived in the Chatsworth electorate for the majority of my life and currently live with my wifeand two boys in the heart of the electorate—Belmont. Growing up in Koree Street, I attended CarinaState School and in year 7 was the school dux, collecting the David Byrne medal of merit. Collecting theaward medal was my first-ever contact with a politician, and I can remember turning to my father, Jeff,and asking, ‘What does a politician do, Dad?’ His response then is still relevant today. He said, ‘They tryto make people’s lives better, son.’

I learned how to swim at the Carina pool in Zahel Street with Roy and Pat Holland. In the early1970s I was riding my supercool Dragster pushbike around a piece of bushland now known asCarindale. Back then, a Jelly Tip ice-cream cost around 25c. I can remember when the Belmontterminus really was the end of the tram line and when Chris and John Nickolou’s small convenienceshop on Old Cleveland Road was the only supermarket around the area, long before WestfieldCarindale opened in 1979.

Not only have I grown up in this electorate; I have grown up with this electorate. For decades myfamily has been closely associated with the Chatsworth area through local sporting clubs andcommunity associations. I, too, share their commitment and connection to this fantastic localcommunity. It is that connection which enables me to understand the issues that impact upon thiselectorate. It is that connection which leads me to stand here tonight before you having the honour ofbeing the current member for Chatsworth. It is my responsibility to serve the people of Chatsworth welland to represent all constituents, regardless of their political leanings. No one political party has amortgage on common sense or good ideas, and I will always listen to those on the opposite side of thechamber, as the people of Chatsworth would expect me to.

I have a responsibility to represent my electorate in its entirety—from the tradesperson at Carina,family at Wakerley, small business owner from Tingalpa, retailer at Carindale and professional atBelmont. I have a responsibility to uphold my core ideological values in this chamber. Personal ambitionand self-interest are noble traits which have forever propelled men and women to aspire to greaterheights throughout history, but so, too, is a sense of decency, unity of purpose and the ability to putaside one’s individual focus in life in order to contribute to a greater good. We are a party createdaround the individual, but no individual is greater than the party. Self-interest is important. For far toolong it has been misrepresented. As Baroness Margaret Thatcher stated—There is not and cannot possibly be any hard and fast antithesis between self-interest and care for others, for man is a socialcreature born into family, clan, community, nation, brought up in mutual dependence.

Some members may be surprised to know that I come from a strong Labor family and on electionday at Carina primary school I had one uncle handing out how-to-vote cards for me and another handingout how-to-vote cards for my opponent. What makes me so proud to be a Queenslander and anAustralian is that we have a robust democracy decided by the power of the ballot box and not by thesound of Kalashnikovs and AK-47s. We should never take this fact for granted.

I joined the former Liberal Party in 1989 after studying political theory at university. For the firsttime in my life I studied all of the famous political ideologies and was immediately influenced and drawnto liberalism as espoused by John Stuart Mill, Thomas Paine, John Locke and Jeremy Bentham. I wasimmediately attracted to core beliefs such as freedom of association, reward for effort, equal justiceunder law, minimalist government intervention, free markets and the proposition that governments are


not the masters of the people but are their servants. Within a few years I was honoured to become theYoung Liberal state president and federal treasurer. In between working full time, I managed to earn aBachelor of Business from the University of Queensland, a graduate certificate and graduate diplomafrom QUT and a masters degree in property economics from QUT. I have a responsibility to apply mycore ideological beliefs and values and academic knowledge in a sensible and pragmatic way in order tobest represent the needs of the people of Chatsworth and the state as a whole.

In any form, extremism is a dangerous thing. I believe that Queenslanders are fairly even keeledand will react if they sense that one particular political orthodoxy is lurching too far to the left or the right.As an economic liberal, I agree with Milton Friedman when he stated in 1962, inter alia—The existence of a free market does not of course eliminate the need for government. On the contrary, government is essentialboth as a forum for determining the ‘rules of the game’ and as an umpire to interpret and enforce the rules decided on. What themarket does is to reduce greatly the range of issues that must be decided through political means and thereby minimise the extentto which government need participate.

You cannot distribute wealth that you have not yet created. I am an unashamed champion ofsmall business. My former roles as a shopping centre developer and manager have given me anappreciation of the virtues of thrift, hard work, risk taking and seeing small business people getting up at4 am each day in order to carve out a better future for both themselves and their families. There aremany small business owners in Chatsworth and it is my responsibility to represent them well. Our roleand responsibility as a government is to provide an opportunity deposit slip for all Queenslanders andnot an entitlement chequebook. It is our responsibility as the government to be an enabler of opportunityand not a provider of assumed entitlement. We have to take responsibility in this state for our ownactions, develop resilience and accept risk. Ronald Reagan once said—We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the preceptthat each individual is accountable for his or her own actions.

This notion was further explored in a recent article in the Australian Journal of Politics and Historywhich stated that political theorists Hayek and Anderson—... deplored the demoralising effects of a culture of dependence and irresponsibility and both insisted on the importance of risk inthe struggle in human life. The pursuit of security within an order free of risk, experimentation, confrontation and uncertainty couldonly lead to a general loss of resilience and initiative.

We need to craft public policy that encourages resilience and risk taking. Learning how to playwell together in the sandpit and learning how to take a knock promotes social awareness and theconcept of taking risks in life.

We have a responsibility to our children and future generations. My wonderful wife, Roz, and Ihave two fantastic boys, Harrison aged 15 and Lachlan aged nine. It is manifestly unfair that this state,as a legacy of the previous government, will soon rack up around $85 billion in state debt which equatesto an interest bill of around $540,000 per hour. The vast majority of this debt was racked up long beforethe GFC and the recent tragic flood disasters. Why should my two young boys be forced to pay in theyears to come for the economic mismanagement and largesse of the previous government? Eachsuccessive generation should be standing on the shoulders of the generation preceding them.Intergenerational debt and economic incompetence are compelling reasons we needed a change ofstate government—so that we can give our future generation a decent shot at life rather than beingunfairly burdened economically.

We have a responsibility to start thinking strategically from an economic and environmentalviewpoint rather than in a three-year electoral spin cycle. We owe this level of responsibility to ourchildren and to their future generations. I would rather do what I knew in my heart and my head was theright thing to do strategically than pander to some short-term political gain. We have seen too much ofthat at a federal level over the past 18 months, and people are tired of it. The electorate is becomingbetter educated and is not stupid. I believe we have a responsibility to always listen to the will of theelectorate and outline a vision not just for the life of this 54th Parliament but to offer a plan for the futureof our state in which the beneficiaries will not necessarily be us as the current members but our children.

State government is fundamentally about service delivery and we have a responsibility to starttreating each dollar of the public purse as if it were our own hard earned cash. We, as politicians, aremerely the custodians of taxpayers’ money. It is time that we showed responsibility for valuing the priceof a dollar in just the same way as we try to teach our children mutual respect and responsibility. Manyof us have made an economic sacrifice to run for public office and we have done so because we want tomake a difference for future generations. No current generation’s reckless economic managementshould ever be allowed to stifle the dreams and aspirations of our most precious state asset, ourchildren.

We have a responsibility also to the first Australians. All members in this august chamber have aresponsibility to continue to narrow the gap in living standards between our Indigenous cousins andother Queenslanders. I do not profess to be an expert in any field, but having lived in Mount Isa as achild during the mid-1970s I have firsthand knowledge of the plight of the very proud Kalkadoon people.Education was back then and, in my humble opinion, still remains the key today to closing the gap withaspirational opportunity. One of my role models as a young Liberal state president was the former


Senator Neville Bonner, who gave one of the greatest speeches I have ever had the privilege oflistening to in the early 1990s when he stated words to the effect, ‘Don’t give my people your sympathy,give them the same educational opportunities so that they gain a sense of ownership over their futuredestiny.’ Whilst many inroads have been made over the past few decades, surely the hallmark ofstatehood is that moment in time when any little girl or boy can arise from whatever station in life theycome from, regardless of socioeconomic status, creed or colour, to one day become Premier of thismagnificent state.

As the member for Chatsworth, I now have the responsibility to acknowledge from the heart thepeople who have helped me arrive at this privileged position. I would like to congratulate the Premier,Mr Campbell Newman, for the textbook case study he provided on the essence of true leadership—some might even say courage under verbal fire—as both he and his family were subjected to anunprecedented personal and negative campaign. Not only was his success a win for Ashgrove but itwas a win for the values of decency, resilience and courage. I congratulate the Premier and his familyfor the poise and dignity they showed throughout the campaign. Class and style are not attributes thatyou can buy; they are acquired through one’s upbringing and adherence to a decent set of core beliefs.Politics is a battle of ideas, not personalities, and whilst it is self-evident that the course of modernAustralian politics has gone down the presidential style of focusing on leaders, the recent state electionresult vindicated my belief that substance and a commitment to principle will always prevail overnegative spin.

I also thank the Premier for the honour of serving the state as the Assistant Minister for PublicTransport. I have a wonderful mentor in the minister, the Hon. Scott Emerson. I would also like to payhomage to the other two members of the senior leadership team—the Deputy Premier, the Hon. JeffSeeney, and the Treasurer, the Hon. Tim Nicholls—who cast aside any personal ambition for the greatergood of the LNP and ultimately the state of Queensland. In concert with the Premier, these twogentlemen conducted themselves with dignity and grace throughout the recent state election campaignand the result of this tight-knit teamwork is ably demonstrated when one looks around the chamber andsees the current composition. I also acknowledge the heavy lifting that was done to bring the LNPtogether as a cohesive political force by the Hon. Lawrence Springborg, the Hon. Mark McArdle, partypresident Mr Bruce McIver and vice-president of the party, Mr Gary Spence. Indeed, I doubt that manyof my cohort would be representing their electorates if it were not for the efforts of these four gentlemen,along with many other men and women who have sacrificed much to create one unified party thatcombines the best of traditional Liberal values as espoused by John Stuart Mill with the classicconservatism of Edmund Burke.

It would be remiss of me not to also pay tribute to the fantastic central campaign team whocreated Australian political history back in March. The campaign director, Mr James McGrath, along withthe then state director, Mr Michael O’Dwyer, ran an intelligent campaign that focused on a positivenarrative and put the hopes and aspirations of the people of Queensland first rather than the party. Iwould like to acknowledge my brilliant Chatsworth campaign team. Obviously, every state seat isdifferent and techniques that work in one electorate may not be as effective in another. However, oneunifying feature that remains constant with every member in this chamber is true: none of us occupy ourcurrent seat in this place without exceptional support from our campaign teams. To my core team, ofwhom many are here in the public gallery tonight, who stayed the course with me over nearly a year anda half—Roz Minnikin, Russ Egan, Paul Scarr, Jason Sondorp, Perry Dollar, Kev Whitmee, Barry Glover,Mark Franklin, Drewe and Kerry Freeburn, Steven Brittle, Patrina Penfold, Murray Gourlie, Zach Davis-Hancock, Russell Powerlett, Craig Wilson, Councillor Adrian Schrinner, Councillor Ryan Murphy andMatt McEachan—I salute and thank you all. I sent an SMS out to my Chatsworth campaign team in theearly hours of 24 March that stated ‘Let’s go out and create a little history today.’ We did. I wish to thankeveryone who contributed to my Chatsworth campaign as I would not be in this privileged positionwithout a total team effort. Thank you all for helping me achieve my dream.

All of us have a responsibility to never forget where we came from and who formulated our valuesystem. In my case, the role that my parents, Jeff and Denise Minnikin, played cannot be understated.Whatever I have achieved in life has been due to the internal belief system they instilled in me as a boy.Between my mother and father, I was taught to work hard, to never take anything or anyone for granted,be responsible for my own actions, respect the family unit, respect people not based on the value oftheir financial bank balance but the deposit of decency they exhibited back to you, and to raise my ownchildren to be self-reliant and free-thinking members of society. I could never repay them fully in any wayother than to try to make them proud of the fact that the values they instilled in me have been passed ondown the line through my own two boys. I also repay respect to my parents-in-law, Harry and CorinaMole, who, like my parents, have a tremendous work ethic, are tolerant of others and have successfullyraised and educated three daughters of their own with minimal government assistance. These peopleare the everyday heroes of society. They are unassuming, law-abiding folk with a love of state andfamily. They are typical, wonderful Queenslanders.

Whilst it is true that my parents were my early role models, my ‘rock of Gibraltar’ is undoubtedlymy wife, Roslyn, who is the most talented woman I have ever known. Her ability to work throughout the


night until she gets things done to an exceptionally high standard is remarkable. Indeed, without Roz bymy side I would not be in this privileged position tonight. She is a wonderful wife and a brilliant mother toour sons. After nearly 20 years of marriage, she still continues to amaze me. I thank my two boys,Harrison and Lachlan, for the countless hours of letterbox dropping they did during my campaign, alongwith putting up with the countless hours of embarrassment they endured every time we drove out in mycar in public with my big bald head adorned on the side doors with campaign artwork and peoplecontinually looking at us.

I would gladly give up my life in a heartbeat for any one of them and I have always maintainedthat you have not fully lived until you have found someone worth dying for. They do, in fact, complete mylife and my reason for wanting to be the member for Chatsworth is to ensure that my boys and theirgeneration prosper long after my time here sets. I have in the public gallery tonight my mother, my wifeand my two boys as well as several close friends. I salute each and every one of them for assisting meto make my dream of speaking in this hallowed chamber this evening a reality. None of us in thischamber can do this on our own.

I again thank the people of Chatsworth, who have recently bestowed upon me the greatest giftthat one can be given in public office: the opportunity to serve as a member of parliament and play a roletoday for the betterment of Queenslanders tomorrow. I wish to be judged not by my political longevity inthis sacred chamber but rather by the demonstrable contribution I make through good public policy toenrich the lives of the people of Chatsworth and the state as a whole. It is my responsibility to contributeto public life via sound political policy which will enable the next year 7 student from perhaps Carina,Gumdale, Mayfield, Camp Hill, Tingalpa, Belmont or any other primary school in Chatsworth to becomea future member of state parliament.

I dedicate this maiden speech to my immediate family, my parents, as well as my sister Traceyand brother Michael and to my deceased grandparents Jack and Lucy Sands and Theda and TomMinnikin. Above all else, in order to serve Chatsworth well I will strive at all times to conduct myselfresponsibly. Thank you.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Ruthenberg): Order! Before I call the member for Mount Isa I remindthe House that this is the member’s first speech and as such shall be heard in silence. I call the memberfor Mount Isa.

Mr KATTER (Mount Isa—KAP) (5.30 pm): May I firstly make the House aware of the immenserespect that I have for the role that has been entrusted to me by the people of the Mount Isa electorate.I extend that same respect to all other members within the House who have made the brave step ofstanding up for something they believe in and who have also worked hard to earn the trust of their ownpeople. In our future dealings together I will always be mindful of the fact that politics is a competition ofour ideas and all within this chamber will be working for what they believe is in the best interests of thestate. I should also acknowledge the efforts of those other candidates for the seat of Mount Isa and mypredecessors who should be considered at the very least strong contributors to their community. I alsoacknowledge my colleague Shane Knuth, who I am just old enough to have played footy with in youngerdays. He has shown immense courage to follow the hard road that he felt was the right thing to do.

I must thank those people who have played a strong part in my being here today and in mycampaign: first and foremost my parents, Bob and Susie, and my sisters Eliza, Mary Jane, Caroline,Olivia; my brother-in-law Rob Nioa and his family Will, Tom and Kate and all the many cousins whoformed part of my campaign army. There are many other courageous supporters and candidates of ourKatter’s Australian Party who also deserve my thanks for taking the hard road in pursuit of their beliefs. Imust also acknowledge other key campaign members including George Tipping, Neil Byrne, NellieSmethurst, Bob Wilson, Narelle Hine, Kim Coglan, Garth Power, Bob Preistley, Coral Grevsmuhl, DelGeorge, Steve Malone, Warren Bethel, Wayne and Diane Reeves, Ernest Woodfield, Steve Borthwick,Dusty Penman and Bill Rutherford to name a few.

I was raised in the small western town of Charters Towers following three previous generationsresiding in Cloncurry. I was raised on a diet of rugby league and outdoor activity. I now live in the greatcity of Mount Isa at the heart of the north-west after being drawn to the great opportunities offered therefor business and lifestyle. An important legacy from this upbringing was that of persevering againstadversity. Our modest little local league side were constantly outnumbered and outgunned by the largerclubs at nearby Townsville. However, despite this we quite often prevailed. The path was hard but trueand the rewards were always wholly gratifying. I expect the same from my life in politics. I was alsoinfluenced in my youth by the practicalities and straight talk prevalent growing up in a rural and regionalarea. In the culture I was raised in, if a feral pest entered your property or endangered your family youhad the right to remove it.

I am forever grateful to my parents for making my siblings and I aware of the responsibility wehave to always strive to apply a set of Christian values towards each other. I sincerely hope that myconduct in politics will reflect this. One of these values is that of giving back to the community. This hasled to me being the fourth generation of our family to serve in government. Whilst I am proud of this




record of service, I am probably more proud of a story recently told to me by a supporter off a propertynear Cloncurry, which I will paraphrase—I appreciate what your family has done for the bush and reconciliation in the past. We have an elderly man of Aboriginal-Afghandescent working with us who will always vote Katter because of the kindness of your grandfather. When he was a young mandark-skinned people had to sit separately at the picture show in Cloncurry. Your grandfather put a stop to the segregation at thepicture theatre.

I should add that our family owned that picture theatre. I am sure that removing the segregationwas not a popular position to take at the time, but nonetheless this action was the right thing to do—anact of leadership of which I am very proud. My family also gave me an appreciation of how valuable thefamily unit is to provide support at critical points in your life. Inversely, it also provides an empathy for allthose in society who lack that same support. I was also given a very rudimentary measure of goodjudgement to apply in politics by my father who borrowed it from his former leader—decisions can beboiled down to a single conclusion: will it either create a positive or negative outcome for your ownpatch. Your voting pattern should always reflect the positive outcome—a simple but reliable yardstick.

If there is one overriding ethos that I believe has been absent from government activity, certainlyover the past 20 years, it is that government needs to preserve the individual’s right to prosperity—theindividual’s right to prosper. This concept may manifest itself as the railway worker in Hughenden’s rightto a job; mine workers in Cloncurry and Mount Isa having the right to be based locally and not have to flyin, fly out from the coast; small businesses being provided a level playing field against larger retail giantsand volumes of red tape; farmers provided some support against their heavily subsidised overseascompetitors. This is a very simple and acceptable concept that has been challenged by the destructiveeffects of economic rationalism which has ripped through almost every major industry in Queenslandoutside of mining. I hope that in my time in this House there will be a deviation from this misguided paththat is destroying our once proud and strong broad industry base. I hope that the opportunity forprosperity is once again made accessible to those many people floating around the economy lefthelpless against the inequities of the free market.

One great father of the north-west region embodied the pursuit of prosperity. I speak of noneother than Ernest Henry. Ernest Henry forged his own prosperity in the late 1800s under enormousadversity, being one of the very first pioneers of the area. He experienced a number of commercialfailings, survived a spear through his chest by riding three days to assistance, all the while commuting tothe nearest coastal facilities some 400 kilometres to the north and 900 kilometres to the east. In his lifehe singularly established three towns, four cattle stations and the first mining operations of the northwest. One, I might add, was worked by the first Australians, the Kalkadoons, who were some of the firstminers in the north west. His life set the tone for ambitious development and perseverance that drovethe establishment of the great mines that exist in that region today. It should be noted that despite themany years that have passed since Ernest Henry first commenced his operations in the north west, wehave barely scratched the surface of the potential from this wonderful region.

Our region was built on the efforts of people like Henry who were programmed to work hard anddevelop our great resources. This development must have been accompanied by an innate sense thatmuch of the benefit would only be realised long after they had passed on. The other less celebrated butno less significant champions of development in our region were the workers, small owner operatorsand cattlemen—or sheep cockeys as it were back then—who chased their own prosperity in a harshand uninviting climate. These people lived in unimaginable conditions to create the great cattle, rail andmining industries of Western Queensland. Whilst their individual feats seem nondescript, the sum totalof their efforts was grand.

The opportunities for prosperity still thankfully exist in Queensland today. In fact, they arebountiful. Yet unfortunately they have been barricaded by governments that have demonstrated limitedinterest in any real outcomes towards development of these abundant resources. For example, ourcattlemen are consistently hammered with increasingly onerous legislation and conditions over the useof their land; our rail lines have scarcely improved in capacity over the past 25 years despite enormousgrowth along our line; our miners are confronted with more and more legislation every day that has seenmining application approval times blow out from six months to seven years; our vast black soil plainswatch every year as 6.57 million megalitres of water floods past them into the gulf when a meagre 6 percent of the flow could turn these struggling cattle grazing towns into agricultural hubs just as Emeraldand St George were transformed many years ago.

The minerals deposits in the North West and mid-west could easily yield huge economic benefitfor Queensland if infrastructure, particularly access to the national electricity market, was provided tosupport investment in the same way other great mining regions in the state are. The corridor betweenTownsville and Mount Isa contains abundant energy resources, both fossil fuel and renewableresources, and has the productive capacity to generate lowest cost electricity to the benefit of thisregion, only requiring some leadership from the government. Regional infrastructure development wouldprovide the opportunity for unemployed persons on the coast to enjoy conventional family lifestyles inestablished regional communities as opposed to the destructive lifestyle of fly-in fly-out. Our commercial


fishermen are continuingly being banned from sustainable fishing areas and are seeing the demise oftheir industry.

In Queensland we are blessed with an abundance of untapped resources that have the ability togenerate wealth in this state well beyond our lifetimes. This abundance of potential wealth brings with ita great burden of obligation and responsibility. Everyone in this place should lie in bed at night, deeplyworried that our decisions may not deliver the prosperity our future generations deserve. The decisionswe make here are not about us or our success; they are about our ability to cement for allQueenslanders a right to prosperity.

Historically, Queenslanders have heavily endorsed the development of those resources across abroad industry base. In fact, very few—including many in this place—do not appreciate the contributionsthat decisions taken 20 years ago have made to our quality of life today. For example, Queensland’scoal industry is not purely a result of enthusiastic mining companies; it is a result of a governmentpassionate to build a great state economy, working productively with the miners for the benefit of thestate. The Queensland sugar industry is not purely a result of the coastal fertile regions; it is a result of agovernment investing in infrastructure to support the farmers willing to work the cane fields.

Over the past 20 years development has been characterised by the demise of the small owner/operator and a narrowing of our industry base. We have made a seismic shift from being a fertile groundfor the owner/operator, over a broad industry base, to an economy critically relying on the miningindustry. I do not accept that this is a demonstration of the most efficient allocation of resources and thatwe should only participate in those industries in which we have a competitive advantage today. Wedelude ourselves into thinking that the source of short-term economic returns—the easy option—is ourcompetitive advantage. In Australia, and specifically Queensland, we have natural competitiveadvantage in agriculture, tourism, mining, minerals processing and, significantly, energy and electricitygeneration, which can support almost every other industrial pursuit.

As we all know, markets turn and industries fluctuate. Good governments have alwaysrecognised this and have preserved a broad industry base, just as a prudent investor diversifies hisshare portfolio. However, this requires industry support, and successive governments wearing differentcolours, at both state and federal levels, have demonised the concept of industry support. If industrysupport moves us away from being a one-dimensional economy dominated by larger foreign interests, Ishall remain demonised.

I make these comments with the utmost regard for our great mining industry, which gave birth toour state and has nurtured its economy for all the years since. This is simply a distress signal on behalfof our other major industries, including agriculture, mineral processing and manufacturing, which are allin states of rapid decline. The industries that fall outside of mining deserve the right to prosper and, atthe very least, our governments should be preserving that right. To take a recently reported industry indecline, the Aussie tomato growers and canneries will never be able to compete with the heavilysubsidised Italian tomato producers, nor will our commercial fishermen in Karumba, in the gulf, be ableto compete with the cheaper and inferior quality fish coming out of Asia, unless we in this place arewilling to play a role that only government can and that so many other governments around the worlddo. Those hard workers provide meaningful wealth-creating employment activities that will not be easilyre-created magically somewhere else in the state, yet we refuse to work with them to help themcompete.

If your vision is for the commercial fishermen and the tomato farmers to give up their skilledoccupations to drive dump trucks for foreign owned mining companies, you may well pay homage to themantra that we should only participate in industries that we can most easily extract returns from today.The industries that we are competitive in represent a small part of the broad industry base that iscontinually eroding due to the economic rationalist policies plaguing this state. I believe in the alternativeapproach of supporting those industries, at least to the extent that they are competing with distortedworld markets. At the very least, those people should be given the right to prosperity, bearing in mindthat their idea of prosperity is often being able to pay the bills and feed the family.

Industry support may manifest itself in many forms, including government investment andstrategic infrastructure. We should be creating and replicating Queensland’s great infrastructureprojects, not selling them off. I belong to a region that is creating regional gross value added,contributing $15 billion to the economy, mostly by transport along an antiquated rail line that is currentlyworking beyond capacity. For decades, the work gangs and service levels have diminished due todeclining investment and, therefore, so has the quality of the track. Last year, multiple derailmentsoccurred on the track. Given that there are 33 mining projects in the region of the north-west mineralsprovince and only 12 working mines at present, it is unsatisfactory for all Queenslanders to be deniedwealth-generating activities and jobs from the region due to the reluctance of government to engage ininvestment in this valuable infrastructure. Some would say that investment should be the role of theprivate sector and not a burden for taxpayers. That approach seems quite rational; however, it fails atthe most critical test—that is, it has not delivered a single outcome. Throughout its lifetime, the line hasyielded phenomenal revenue to the state and will continue to do so. If it is currently denying further


mining development in the region, surely even the most rudimentary analysis would suggest that thatinvestment is worthwhile undertaking.

Infrastructure Australia specifically identified the corridor between Townsville and Mount Isa asone of the most productive regions in the country. That corridor contains well-known mineral, energyand agricultural resources. One of the greatest opportunities for Queensland to invest in greatinfrastructure projects resides in the connection of the north-west minerals province to the nationalelectricity grid. This is a gift to Queensland that will just keep giving. After 100 years of mining activity inthe regions, it is difficult to understand why the national electricity grid should not extend beyond theTownsville City Council footprint. The resource-rich regions should not be denied nationally competitiveand high volumes of energy. That should be performed by coupling with renewable energy initiatives,including thermal, wind and ethanol. This project already has a $335 million commitment from thefederal government, which will not be there forever, and only requires some leadership from our ownstate government.

Amongst other significant opportunities available to our state to develop industry is the irrigationof the mid-west, the gulf and Gilbert River areas of North-West Queensland. Those arable lands havesignificant river systems that can offer many existing pastoral holdings immediately realisable potentialfor irrigated farming development, with very limited capital expenditure required from government—justthe legislative flexibility to take a very small fraction of the water passing by each year and somerelatively insignificant clearing activity. The small number of already established farmers in the regionhave demonstrated that the practice will be more viable once the number of new farms increases toprovide economies of scale. I strongly commend the new Minister for Agriculture for following throughwith his government’s support of this agricultural endeavour. The irrigation of those areas will providethe lifeline needed for many of our smaller remote towns and will enhance the requirement for theproposed abattoir in the region.

I use this opportunity to alert the House to significant threats that I feel will impact on theprosperity of the region that I represent. The existing proposed increases in leasehold land rents overpastoral holdings will decimate the industry and must be revoked. Fly-in fly-out is the most destructiveforce in our mining communities and it has never threatened our communities more than it does now.Our vision for the future of Australia should never include communities dominated by mining camps that,unabated, will grow as our stable and rich mining communities degenerate. Locally based workforcesprovide volunteers for sport and community groups, family members help staff our shops, and localworkers and operators always contribute more to their communities.

Housing and infrastructure investment from all local stakeholders, including our government, isrequired to capture any real benefit from the mining boom. The best mechanism for this is royalties forthe regions. If you want to pay back the debt in Queensland, stop neglecting the goose that continues tolay the golden egg. If we invest back into the productive areas of Queensland, the entire state willprosper and reap the rewards. There should be an appropriate return of the royalties to the regions fromwhich they are yielded.

Local government autonomy has risen as an issue, and elected local members should againwield some executive powers. Again I commend the new government for its intention to act on this.There are threats to smaller retailers. With the dominance of major retailers continuing to kill off ourfarmers and small operators, I will continue to resist the push for seven-day trading in our regions andthe continuing encroachment of the giant retailers on the markets.

In relation to title deeds to First Australians, those people need to be given the right to advancethemselves economically, which is the same right afforded to every other Australian. Mining leaseapplication times for sustainable parts of the industry must be reduced. If we are to continue to attractany investment in this industry, some balance needs to be regained in terms of the onerous andineffective sections of the legislation.

In closing, I wish to say that I am proud to be a member of a party whose overarching principleempowers its members of parliament to vote in the interests of each of their electorates first andforemost and in accordance with our published core values and principles. Despite being a small bandin parliament, I am mindful that at least 280,000 Queenslanders believe strongly in what we are sayingand that they are after representation that creates opportunity for their members to speak out for theirelectorates, despite the times that it will conflict with a party position. This will only ever deliver the bestoutcome to Queenslanders.

I leave you with the words of Teddy Roosevelt, who said—It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could havedone them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neithervictory nor defeat.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Ruthenberg): Order! I thank the member for Mount Isa. Before I callthe member for Ferny Grove, I remind the House that this is the member’s maiden speech. I ask


members to afford him the courtesies of the House and to listen to the member in silence. I call themember for Ferny Grove.

Mr SHUTTLEWORTH (Ferny Grove—LNP) (5.49 pm): I rise in this chamber today wrestling withmany conflicting emotions. I have a great sense of pride but then I humbly reflect upon the fact that,without the support of so many, my own effort would have fallen short. I feel a sense of relief in oursuccess, but then I am reminded that it is not us who should make that judgement so early. I ponderupon the trust that has been shown in me by the electorate of Ferny Grove.

The 244 square kilometres of the Ferny Grove electorate stretches from Keperra in the east toMount Nebo and Mount Glorious in the west and includes Bunya, Ferny Hills, Arana Hills, Ferny Groveand Upper Kedron, the picturesque Samford Valley, Highvale, Whites Mountain, Camp Mountain, Yugar,Cedar Creek, Mount Samson and Clear Mountain. Each contribute a unique quality to the overall fabricof the electorate.

The traditional owners of the land throughout this region were the Turrbal and Garumngar people,whose presence can be witnessed at a number of very well-preserved bora sites throughout Samfordand Mount Samson regions. Samford and surrounding valley suburbs are roughly 21 kilometres fromthe CBD of Brisbane and were settled by Europeans in the mid-1850s. The settlement grew to a vibrantone by the early 20th century largely on the back of successes in banana farming, an industry whichcontinued to prosper past the end of the First World War when returned servicemen were encouragedinto the area to assist with this industry’s growth. Success was short-lived, however, when diseasewiped out the crops and with it the hopes of so many in this area.

There remained other industries at the time within the electorate; namely, a tannery at Arana Hillsand a clay pit and tile factory at Ferny Grove. Today all of this industry has made way for developmentsof transport infrastructure, parklands or residential estates. The local area today, while remainingindustrious, has very little industry. We boast almost 3,500 small businesses, many operating fromhome offices and, not surprisingly, many aligning with the four primary pillars of our economy.

We have our share of colourful local identities such as Jack Mitchell, a Samford resident who hasrecently published his memoirs in a book titled From Samford to Salamaua—and back. This bookoutlines his story from the family farm through to his war service in Papua New Guinea and categorisesthe many outstanding community and volunteer organisations that Jack has devoted his service to overthe years.

Another local identity, George Wilmore, who landed at Gallipoli in April 1915, became a SalvationArmy missionary and later a dynamic and successful real estate agent. Then there are the Pickering,Stokes, Marshall and McGuinn families who have so richly contributed their time and service to our localarea, who have made it the great place that it is today. Their service also reminds me, as I begin myjourney as the representative of Ferny Grove, that it is this unwavering dedication and willingness toserve that creates a legacy, not simply my elevation to this place.

Mr Deputy Speaker, at this point I wish to reiterate my commitment to the people of Ferny Groveand say with complete conviction that I will remain wholly focused on the people and places throughoutthe Ferny Grove electorate. I heard while doorknocking that they were desperate to have faith in ourgovernment. They wanted a capable government to deliver a reduction in their cost of living, to restoreaccountability and integrity to government and to provide better services, and they desperately wanted agovernment in which they could once again trust to act in accordance with our own stated convictions.Today I am proud to say that I form part of that government

This Campbell Newman-led LNP government has made five pledges to the people ofQueensland: we promise that we will deliver a four-pillar economy focused on construction, agriculture,resources and tourism; we will lower the cost of living for families by cutting waste; we will deliver betterinfrastructure through better planning; we will revitalise front-line services; and we will restoreaccountability in government. I am extremely grateful to be a member of the class of 2012 that hasbrought about this great change. However, I am under no illusion that the task ahead will be made anyeasier by our numbers in this House. In fact, I imagine it may well be the opposite. I am certain that wewill be more harshly judged. We will be held to account more stringently and have greater expectationsplaced upon us all. Each of the stated pledges is a measurable commitment to which we will all be heldto account. Far from causing me consternation, this invigorates me and drives me more tenaciouslytowards the benchmarks I set for myself.

My journey to this place began in my birthplace of Mackay, which was for the vast majority of myyounger years also where we lived, apart from a small stint further north in Townsville, where I beganschool at Hermit Park State School. When we returned to Mackay, I continued school at Mackay NorthState School. My father, mother, two sisters and I lived quite near the school, and perhaps my oldestrecollection is one of walking home across a small causeway tributary of the goose ponds from schooleach day.

While life has dealt quite a few challenges, perhaps the biggest one we faced as a family wasthat, like many others, we did not remain together and circumstances of life, far too complicated for me





to understand at the time, meant that for all of my high school years I was raised in a single parenthome. I would like at this point to acknowledge and thank my mother, Margie, for her pivotal role in mylife.

As the member for Whitsunday mentioned earlier this afternoon, life in Mackay was fantastic inthe 1970s. The fishing was unbelievable. The sugar industry continued to thrive. The fledgling miningindustry appeared to be worth supporting and tourism competed well against our northern neighbours,with Brampton Island being one of the better resorts throughout the Whitsundays. The regioncontributed well towards a strong and diverse Queensland economy. I had a job with my uncle as a milkboy and recall how the newly relocated Port Curtis Dairy at East Boundary Road, Paget, was in themiddle of farming land. Now those coldrooms are dwarfed by heavy industry supporting the resourcesector throughout the region.

Mackay is no longer the place of my memories and, like so many regions of Queensland, theprevious government’s single focus and reliance upon the resource sector has come at great cost to thediversity and strength of other sectors. The Newman-led LNP government’s commitment to grow ourstate through a four-pillar economy will revitalise many regions throughout the state and ensure that weall enjoy a stronger, more diversified and resilient future.

I left Mackay to join the Royal Australian Navy on 8 January 1982. I took an oath to God, Queenand country. I absolutely loved the Navy. It provided me with a real purpose, direction, challenge andcamaraderie like nothing I had experienced to that point. The Navy taught me my trade of electronicsengineering in communication systems, and I would enjoy that job more than any other I would have inmy life to this point. My 12 years of service saw me posted to a number of platforms—the tanker HMASSupply; the destroyer HMAS Vampire; patrol boats out of Cairns; and, finally, HMAS Adelaide, a frigatewhich now rests on the ocean floor off Newcastle in New South Wales. During my time on these ships Ideployed to South-East Asia, the United States of America, the Pacific islands, New Zealand and thePersian Gulf during Operation Damask in 1990. It was during the lead-up to this deployment that myinterest in politics began.

Like many of my colleagues, I was appalled at the apparent lack of funding to the defencedepartment by the Hawke government and the damage this appeared to do to our preparedness toconfront difficult situations. This became apparent when the Navy scrambled to ready our ships withadditional equipment as we sailed from Sydney to Perth and then on to Diego Garcia. The ‘fitted for butnot with’ options that made our ships suitable for operational deployment were hastily fitted, with little orno training provided to the officers and sailors responsible for the use and maintenance of thisequipment.

It seems ironic that at this time it is Defence that has once again become a casualty of the currentLabor federal government as it tries desperately to deliver its first budget surplus. Over the years myfocus has shifted from federal issues to those of state responsibility and, like so many individuals, myinterest in politics was largely only aired at barbecues or family gatherings and I did not become activelyinvolved until much later in life. One of the best aspects of life in the Australian Defence Force is thefriendships we make, often with members of other forces, even though we compete consistently againsteach other.

I have received many gibes over the years in relation to my naval service, most of which I couldnot share in the House. Although I am sure you have heard a lot, one does go along the lines of ‘a girl inevery port’. I can say categorically that this was never the case. Actually, I have always been a little slowon the uptake in the courting stakes and so my decision to leave the Navy in 1994 at almost 30 years ofage to settle down, marry and raise a family, while seemingly a sensible thing to do, was seriouslyflawed. I was about as single as you could ever get and almost eight years would pass before I metEmily, giving creed to the age-old adage that all good things come to those who wait. This is nowevidenced in a compelling way through the woman I am now blessed to call my wife.

There are many others at this point whom I would like to acknowledge as having made asignificant contribution in my journey to this chamber. To my family in Mackay, my sister Tiana and myfather, Eric, who both travelled to Brisbane for a fortnight leading up to the 24 March election, and totheir families who shared them with me—Cyndy, Murray, Julie-Anne, Gary, Mitchell and Lacey—I thankyou. To my sister Janette and her family—Stef, Robert and Kristi—who live in Ferny Hills: thank you forthe support over many years, not just to the campaign but also for the support of my family in difficultand demanding times. To my dearest friends, who, despite our busy lives and all-too-infrequent visits,have remained close and supportive—Stephen Harris, whom I have known for 30 years and who flewup from Melbourne to assist with the election-day activities and was joined later in the day by BruceHobson and Ken Priest, who have contributed greatly over several years—I thank you.

I would like to thank the people within the LNP campaign team who strategised effectively andwho provided training, direction, mentoring and plenty of assistance. This was provided by many, but onthe ground in Ferny Grove it was Matt McEachan who held it all together on their behalf. There weresome stalwarts in the campaign. There was Patrick, who became a standard fixture at Bob CassimatyPark along Samford Road; my campaign executive team of Chris Lehmann, Annette Tidbury, Mick


McGuire and the less well known John Howard. To the tireless volunteers—Estelle Bush, Leann Booker,Hazel Perry and many others who know the great contribution you have made—I thank you all.

There are those who significantly contributed to my campaign through their support in thementoring role they played, knowingly or otherwise—the Hon. Peter Dutton, federal member for Dicksonand shadow minister for health and ageing; and the local councillors who were returned and with whomI look forward to working: Councillor Andrew Wines from the Enoggera ward of Brisbane City Counciland Councillors Brian Battersby and Bob Millar from Moreton Bay Regional Council. I hope that, ifnothing else, I learn how to retain my seat from Councillor Battersby, who is in his 40th yearrepresenting his constituency. I would like to thank David Redfern, from Madison Technologies, who hastaught me that individuals with an entrepreneurial flair need not dispose of morals and ethics in pursuitof financial success. He is someone for whom I will always have a great deal of respect.

There are some absent friends who have all contributed greatly. These include George Clarke,my stepfather, who passed away during the campaign of the 2009 election and who I know would havebeen very proud today, and Graham Harper, from a family owned business Environmental DataServices that consistently punched above its weight in a competitive environment. He provided me withgreat opportunities and an unusual tutorial in life that today I still hold in very high regard.

I thank the great team at my most recent former employer, Pronto Software. I was employed inthe Brisbane branch of Pronto Software for the past seven years, and during that entire time I have beencampaigning for this change in my career. Many employers would have frowned upon my endeavours.However, not only have they allowed me to continue in my pursuit but also they have actively assistedthroughout. The Queensland general manager, Steve Hillyard, was a number of times seen throughoutthe electorate handing out how-to-vote cards and the CEO, David Jackman, located in Melbourne, is notunknown to the Liberal Party of Victoria and had on many occasions provided words of great wisdom.

At this point I would like to acknowledge the previous member for Ferny Grove, who had, like somany on both sides of the House, committed a great deal of time to serving his electorate.

Of course, I wish to thank my children, Isabella and Alisha. I know what the sacrifices of my manyyears of campaigning whilst working full time have already meant for you. I hope that in time you willappreciate that I undertook this challenge in order to provide a better future for you and, indeed, otherchildren throughout Queensland. To my stepson, Matthew, who has provided me with a great deal of joyover the years and of whom I am now very proud as he undertakes his own military career in theAustralian Army, from Woodside in South Australia—like many families throughout my electorate we willbe challenged later this year when he deploys to Afghanistan—I wish you and all the other service menand women who deploy overseas godspeed and a safe return.

My hope for the electorate which I will now serve is that we will continue to grow and prosper as acommunity where our cohesiveness is strengthened through a desire to collectively achieve. This senseof community is often enhanced through the dogged resolve of community groups who, often using well-worn volunteers, relentlessly pursue challenges and seek out those less fortunate individuals to provideassistance and encouragement. Within Ferny Grove we are blessed to have a greater than averagenumber of volunteers and a lower than average number of persons in need. However, there are manyorganisations that are long established, are consistently high achievers and contribute significantly tothe local area, such as the Golden Valley Keperra Lions, Samford Lions, a number of Rotary clubs,Samford Riding for the Disabled, Meals on Wheels and both the Hills and District and the Samfordchambers of commerce. I look forward to assisting all of those local community groups as well as theschool parents and citizens associations, churches and other organisations to continue to provide greatoutcomes to the communities they serve.

In closing, I wish to analogise that my journey to this point is like a large building project. It is builtupon the foundation of faith and family using the materials of friends and colleagues, life experiencesand various occupations—and, most importantly, the fastener that holds it all together, that gives it formand purpose, is my wife, Emily. I know that, like my analogy, if she were missing my life would be a pileof disorganised rubble. I remain indebted to her forever and hope never to lose sight of or appreciationof the love we share and the invaluable contribution she has made to my life.

Thirty years ago I made an oath to serve my God, Queen and country, and today I renew thatoath to my God, Queen and the people of Queensland. At some time before or at the end of my days Ihope only to hear from those to whom I have made this oath the words, ‘Well done, my good and faithfulservant.’

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Ruthenberg): I thank the member for Ferny Grove. Before calling themember for Springwood, I would remind the House that this is the member’s first speech and I wouldask you to afford him the courtesy of listening in silence.

Mr GRANT (Springwood—LNP) (6.08 pm): Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I begin with thesewords to the newly elected Speaker of the House and would appreciate it if you would pass them on toher. I am very pleased that you, having served in successive parliaments over two decades, have beenelected to the position of Speaker and will now be afforded a place in history as the first woman to




become Speaker of the Queensland parliament. You richly deserve this honour and I wish you everysuccess in this demanding role.

The residents of the Springwood electorate have given me the opportunity to work for them byrepresenting their interests in this the 54th Parliament of Queensland and I am honoured to carry outthis task on their behalf. I thank them sincerely for their support at the ballot box and I will do all that Ican to deliver what we have pledged to them over the course of the term of this parliament.

It is important at the outset for me to thank the Premier, Mr Campbell Newman, for the risks hetook and the leadership he provided throughout the election campaign. His sacrifices, and those of hisfamily, and his hard work paved the way for the historic swing in electoral support away from theprevious government to the Liberal National Party. Thank you, Premier Newman. My appreciation alsogoes to John-Paul Langbroek, Lawrence Springborg, Tim Nicholls and Jeff Seeney for the manner inwhich they worked together as a unified team. Lawrence Springborg epitomised the great virtue ofprolonged tenacity to see the Liberal National Party established, and John-Paul Langbroek displayed anoutstanding level of graciousness after relinquishing the role of LNP leader. This unity that they have alldisplayed has been a major contributor to the success of the individual campaigns run by LNP membersthroughout the state.

The result of this election saw the residents of the Springwood electorate set three all-timerecords. They gave the Liberal National Party the highest ever primary vote of 55.7 per cent, the highestever swing of 19.7 per cent and the largest two-party preferred vote ever recorded of 65.7 per cent inthe history of the seat.

Springwood includes the suburbs of Rochedale South, Springwood, Daisy Hill, Shailer Park andparts of Priestdale, Cornubia and Loganholme, all in the city of Logan. It is bounded by the M1 Motorwayand includes a major commercial and banking precinct in the north and the major hyperdome retailcentre in Shailer Park towards the south. It provides significant educational facilities, financial services,small to medium industry and many home based businesses. It also showcases large-scale sportingfacilities, such as Underwood Park, and is home to the koala centre in the Daisy Hill Conservation Park.Research shows that the principal Springwood business centre has three times the potential as a driverfor economic development than other major centres around Brisbane.

Literally thousands of residents spoke to me over the course of the campaign leading up to therecent state election and the messages given were these—one, there was personal and financial painwith the cost of living spiralling out of control; two, there was anger that we were told state assets wouldnot be sold only to have them sold out from under us; and, three, there was concern about antisocialbehaviour in the streets and hoon driving. On these three issues of importance to the residents ofSpringwood, I have the following comments. Firstly, on reducing wasteful spending to better control thecost of living, managing government finances and the economy, history reveals and records that theLiberal-National governments excel, and I am firmly committed to such a course of action ahead tosupport families by reining in rapid increases in the cost of living that we have been experiencing. Inrelation to item 2, the Liberal National Party has committed to not sell off major state assets withouttaking such a decision to the community. Finally, antisocial behaviour in our streets is a symptom of asociety in which it is becoming commonplace for individuals to throw off restraint and practise ananything goes philosophy. I believe that the Liberal National Party’s policies in the areas of crime andcommunity safety will help to alleviate community concerns and that this type of behaviour will not gounchecked.

I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the specific instances of grossmismanagement and waste by the former Labor government which, amongst many other issues, servedto fuel the fire of my discontent and motivated me to stand for change and help rid this state of such anincompetent government. This was epitomised when, just a few years after taking water and sewerageassets off local governments, the former Labor government reversed the legislation and Logan CityCouncil is now in the process of dismantling Allconnex Water and moving assets and staff back into acouncil operation. What incredible waste and maladministration. Tens of millions of dollars could havebeen saved if these on again, off again changes had not been made.

Let it be put on the record that when the Logan City Council wrote to the former Labor stategovernment to ascertain whether they would charge stamp duty—in the order of $50 million—for LoganCity Council on the transfer of $1.3 billion worth of infrastructure assets back to council, no answer wasgiven. People across the state lost faith in that government because they refused to be honest with thecommunity. We in the LNP government have set about to rebuild that faith with the people ofQueensland.

What of the current debacle that the taxpayers of Springwood are likely to face over, amongstother things, the expense to upgrade the road between Logan and Yarrabilba—a yet to be built, distant,model city—due to the incongruent decision made by the Urban Land Development Authority merelydays after the 24 March election? The ratepayers living in the Springwood electorate will be paying off adebt for 20 years if this decision made by the ULDA is not significantly altered. I am bound to fight forthis change for the sake of my constituents who do not yet fully understand the extent of the threat


hanging over their heads at this time. This is a consequence of the former Labor government forcingcouncil amalgamations and expanding Logan to four times the size it was in 2008, as well asestablishing the Urban Land Development Authority, which has made decisions which have imposedbetween $100 million and $300 million of expense for Logan ratepayers without the concurrence of thelocal authority.

The final point to mention regarding the previous government is the deep disappointment thepeople of Springwood have that Labor ran the state into record levels of debt and that they also failed torectify the M1 Motorway congestion. Widening works were completed to the north and to the south ofLogan City, but bus lanes and the upgrading of the lanes through Springwood have not been finalised,resulting in lengthy delays for commuters to and from Brisbane. This is a source of constant frustrationfor residents of the Springwood electorate, other commuters and businesses in South-East Queensland.I know that wasted billions of dollars could have gone a long way towards paying for these long overdueworks. I do not say ‘billions’ thoughtlessly, because in the order of $2,000 million was spent on theaborted Traveston Crossing Dam and the mothballed desalination plant—both of which are nowunproductive in providing water for the population. Unlike the former Labor government, we in the LNPwill spend taxpayers’ money wisely.

I am aware that it is customary for new MPs to provide some personal history in a short expose oftheir life journey leading up to their election to parliament. Therefore, here are some brief recollections. Iwas born in Manly, Brisbane, the fourth of eight children—Paul, Peter, Ruth, John, Beth, Dorothy,Heather and Margaret—to loving but strict parents. With the benefit of hindsight, I can add that ourupbringing—in which we all had the opportunity to learn Christian values—has brought a great blessingthroughout my life. I have continued with this Christian faith in raising my own family. I was educated inthe state school system in Wynnum, Manly and Birkdale.

Following high school I completed studies in civil engineering to become a draftsman, working onprojects like the Riverside Expressway here in Brisbane while with the special projects section of themain roads department. During that time I married my teenage sweetheart, Robyn, and we weresubsequently transferred by our respective government departments to Rockhampton, where Robynworked as a primary school teacher. In 1978 we were transferred to Springwood and, being such a greatplace to work and raise a family, it is with fondness and pride that we have remained living in this areafor 34 years. Shortly after re-establishing there, I established a business in building design. The 1980swere boom years for the construction industry and the company grew, providing employment for manylocal people. This was not the only area of growth for us, as we also experienced the arrival of our threewonderful children—Carly, Lauren and Cameron. Even over the last three years our family continues togrow, with our two daughters giving us four beautiful grandchildren—Elijah and Emmanuel, Daniel andTalitha.

After some 18 years in business, my political interests came to the fore when I was elected toLogan City Council in 1997 and installed immediately as the chair of the Planning and DevelopmentCommittee. I proceeded from there to the position of Deputy Mayor from 2004 to 2008, during whichtime I also served as acting mayor for the period of a mayoral by-election. More recently, while still incouncil I focused my attention on housing, working with the state government on developing a model fora housing company to redevelop public housing and to provide other forms of new affordable housing inLogan City. Housing is still a passion of mine and it remains a significant challenge for this governmentto resolve. For many years I worked closely with Pam Parker, who is now the mayor, and Chris Rose,the chief executive officer. They are two of the hardest working people I have met and I reallyappreciated working with them throughout my time on council. I have learnt much about the practice oflaw making and the setting of public policy. I remember well a principle espoused by Mr Gary Kellar,CEO from 1979 to 2005, which is a good guide for legislators when they are grappling with complexpublic policy decisions. Put succinctly, it suggests that we choose from all of the options the policy whichprovides the greater good for the greatest number. This is exactly how I intend to approach policydecisions in this parliament.

While campaigning since 2010, I resigned my position as a councillor as soon as the election writwas issued so that I could campaign full time in the state election. Over the years I have also taken thetime to be personally involved in humanitarian work in Asia, finding it immensely rewarding to see justhow much can be achieved with funds raised in Australia when used directly to improve the quality of lifeof those who have so little. It is with this life experience that I enter this parliament, happy to work hardfor the good of the people of Queensland and especially Springwood.

Recently the Chief Justice of Queensland arrested my attention when he explained to newmembers of parliament during their induction training that our courts do not deliver justice but ratherdeliver justice according to law. I found this quite a thought-provoking and profound statement, made allthe more solemn because it was presented by the Chief Justice himself—a truly authoritative person. Ittakes us straight to the heart of our juris prudence. While we like to think that our laws are designed toprovide justice for all, some may not receive it fully. It caused me to quietly consider these thoughts inthe context of my new role. Which current Queensland laws are more likely to give rise to a gap betweenjustice and justice according to law? How do we visualise ahead of time the effect upon a person or


families when a judge rightly hands down justice according to law and the person realises with gravitythat they will not receive the justice that they were expecting? How devastating is this for affectedpersons? How do society and the law-makers reconcile such an outcome? For me, these are seriousconsiderations as I embark upon my work as a legislator—a responsibility I will take with great sobriety.

It has taken me many years to realise this hope of serving as a state MP. My wife Robyn, who isin the gallery tonight, has worked with great purpose and determination. She has supported me throughseven election campaigns over 15 years. All of us here today would know that she has achieved nosmall feat and so to Robyn I say to you this evening: thank you for the load you have carried. You aretruly a wonderful woman, have been a supportive partner for 36 years and I thank you lovingly andsincerely. I also thank my children for understanding the demands of public life and for the way in whichthey have continued to graciously support me. Phil and Alison Slade are two very talented people whosacrificed and toiled for many months in their role as campaign directors, and what a magnificentcontribution they made, working day and night to achieve their goal—a change of government inQueensland. To Phil and Alison I say: you have been rewarded by realising what you believed could beachieved—an LNP Queensland government. My gratitude is expressed to you today with these sincerewords of affirmation.

To the LNP team in head office including Bruce McIver, state campaign director James McGrathand Mitch Redford: thank you for the long days and nights you put in and the wisdom of the strategiesyou employed. To other hardworking members of our campaign team such as Clive and Syliva, who arein the gallery tonight, Erin Mallon, Mike Duggan, Angela Street, Richard Toy, Rachael Rose, Jeff andCathy Charlesworth, Darren McCosker, Phil Jardine, Peter McDondald, Warren Tyson, Helen Buckle,Mitch Collier and Helen Cobanov, I pay you credit for the investment you made in this campaign. To myfinancial supporters, campaign zone coordinators, booth captains and the members of your teams,thank you one and all for persevering with the distribution of thousands of flyers, campaigning onweekends, placing signs and working so hard on election day. To everyone who helped carry out myriadtasks, I thank you for the effort that you put in and I am glad that you have been rewarded with a changeof government in Queensland.

It is with the goodwill of a large number of people in Springwood that I look forward to serving inthis parliament of Queensland throughout the years ahead. I will do it with drive, energy andenthusiasm, giving the very best I can to the residents of my great electorate.

Sitting suspended from 6.27 pm to 7.30 pm.Debate, on motion of Mr Stevens, adjourned.

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT

Disallowance of Statutory InstrumentMr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Dr Robinson): Order! Honourable members, given that the notice of

motion has been called on in accordance with sessional orders and no member has risen to move themotion when called on, the notice of motion has now lapsed in accordance with standing orders 59(4)and 71.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLYResumed.Mrs MILLER (Bundamba—ALP) (7.31 pm): It is with identifiable and actual humility, grace and

dignity that I rise to speak in this House as the member for Bundamba. I would like to thank thecommunity of Bundamba for giving me the honour to be their voice and their representative in thisHouse. They have shown faith in the partnership we have to achieve things that matter in ourcommunity: working together to get real results in employment and training, real results in the provisionof opportunity through education, real results in the provision of infrastructure to meet the growingdemands of our community and real results in helping those in need by giving a hand up, not a handout.Just like the partnership with the community, we are getting these results through grassroots activism. Isimply could not achieve these results without the efforts of those who helped me get re-elected for thesixth term: those hardworking, honest and dedicated men and women of the Australian Labor Party andthe broader Labor movement.

I would like to say a personal thankyou to my campaign team and those volunteers who foughtthrough one of the filthiest, dirtiest campaigns ever seen in Bundamba from the LNP. I would like tothank Graham and Gillian Lyn; Neil Bennett and family; Natasha Musch; Shanel Lambert; Danny andAfra Donahue; Frank Dudman; Tom Hewitt; Philip Luafutu, his extended family and the Samoancommunity; Bruce Leslie; Des Lorrigan; John Ford; Tiffany Marsh; my Aunty Kay, Lisa and FreddyBates; Pat Mooney the owners of the Irish Heart Hotel, Peter and Michael Falvey, for their wonderful




lmnutt

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signage and support; and the many others who helped hand out how-to-vote cards and provided moralsupport and held me in their prayers as well as the broader members of the Australian Labor Party. Iwould also like to thank my colleague and my good friend the federal member for Blair, ShayneNeumann, and his great staff like Kylie Stoneman for their assistance throughout the campaign.

Of course, I cannot go without recognising my electorate officers, Tracey Bradley and Steve Axe,who was also my campaign director, who have been with me through thick and thin, working long hours,giving wise counsel and support. I would also like to thank the officials and members of the trade unionmovement who helped me in the campaign and throughout my terms in this parliament for theirguidance and support. When things were tough going, like my principled stance on the privatisation andhelping with the flood recovery, the trade unions were with me. They were always there and alwayscaring: Ron Monaghan from the Queensland Council of Unions; my good friend Andrew Vickers, TonyMaher and Jim Valery from the CFMEU Mining and Energy Division; Gary Bullock and Scott Zackeresenfrom United Voice; Peter Simpson and the Electrical Trades Union; Owen Doogan and Peter Allen fromthe Rail, Tram and Bus Union; Warren Butler from the AMWE Vehicle Division in particular but alsoother affiliate unions such as the CFMEU Construction Division and the Ipswich Trades and LabourCouncil, with great local people such as Steve Franklin from the AMWU; Dave O’Malley and John Webbfrom United Voice; Brynn Williams from the CFMEU Construction Division and Gordon and Lloyd Abbottfrom the ETU.

Those who know me know that my family is very important to me and I would like to thank againmy long-suffering husband, Neil, and daughters, Stephanie and Brianna. Members on both sides knowhow difficult it is for families and I would like to thank my family for their never-ending support. I wouldalso like to especially thank my parents, George and Edith Pringle, who have always been an inspirationand a rock to me throughout my life. They have helped form my values of family and the belief in tradeunions looking after working people with humility and respect.

As I said previously, this was clearly the filthiest, dirtiest campaign ever run by LNP in theBundamba electorate and certainly the lowest and most scurrilous since I have been elected. Itreminded me of 1974 and 1975 when the tories went after Bill Hayden. I would normally let bygones bebygones, but the truth about this disgraceful behaviour needs to be placed on the public record. TheLNP candidate, a Mr Kitzelmann—a blow-in candidate with little involvement in the community apartfrom claiming to be a flood volunteer whilst being paid as a public servant, whose contribution wascooking sausages through the flood disaster of January 2011—oversaw or allowed his campaignworkers to spread false rumours, tell fibs and play other low dirty political games. Mr Kitzelmann was apublic servant with the Department of Premier and Cabinet and he told many people that he took avoluntary separation package to campaign full-time after initially being seconded and then leaving theemployment of the Ipswich City Council. This latter employment with the council has never beenexplained to the people of the Bundamba electorate, nor was it in his campaign material.

Despite previous agreements with opposition parties in Bundamba to fight on policies and thefuture of our community in a fair manner and without personal attacks, it seems that this Mr Kitzelmanncondoned, or assisted, or took a blind eye to behaviour not seen in our community for decades—sincethe 1970s, in fact. The disgusting behaviour by the LNP ranged from spreading deliberate mistruthsabout my family and my virtually teetotal habits to, on election day, candidate booth workers repeatedlytelling constituents that I did not live in my electorate despite being assured by campaign workers that Icertainly did and still do so. They even told me—they told me!—that Jo-Ann Miller did not live hereanymore. So I asked the campaign workers where did she live and they said, ‘In Brisbane.’ So when Itold them I was, in fact, Jo-Ann Miller, they nearly passed out.

They also spread false claims about which level of government was actually responsible for theconsiderable state government improvements to infrastructure within the electorate—just baselessclaims. Some of this can be attributed to the very small nature of the LNP in my electorate and theirdisengagement with the community, but this went beyond the pale. It also included some of the worstlanguage and foul accusations from a fake Twitter account. It contained personal abuse, falseaccusations, rude language and false innuendoes of a personal nature. I now table this document forthe benefit of the House.Tabled paper: Extract of Twitter account of Steve Axe.

What was most interesting was that an LNP campaign worker, a John Janetzki, under the Twitterguise ‘JesterforJustice’, responded to a tweet from my campaign in response to an attack on the GoldCoast Bulletin’s Sue Lappeman. His response clearly indicates him as being the author and the LNP asclearly behind this scurrilous attack. No woman, no member of this House, should ever have to face thisdisgusting personal abuse from people involved in a different political party. My campaign director wasalso accused of assault when clearly this would never be the case. He suffered personal accusationsfrom another campaign worker, failed Bundamba LNP preselection candidate Grant Vandersee. He wasalso manipulated into a story in the Queensland Times when he genuinely expressed concern about themoney being spent by Mr Kitzelmann when he was obviously unemployed and had a family. I table thisdocument as well. Tabled paper: Newspaper article by Mr Peter Foley, titled ‘I’m not on the dole’.


Yes, the LNP candidate confirmed that he was unemployed at the time he was trying to hoodwinkpeople into thinking he was a public servant. Among the deliberate mistruths were ridiculous storiesabout the LNP printing and distributing 270,000 flyers—interesting when 99 per cent of their campaignwas spent inanely waving at traffic and driving large billboards and trailers around town. Many weredisturbed when Mr Kitzelmann, unemployed, spent what I am advised to be around $85,000 on thecampaign. The figure may be higher, I understand, but I have been advised that some donors to thisdisgraceful and dirty campaign did not wish to be identified. If this is the case, it makes it an evenmurkier campaign. One must wonder about the motivation behind some shadowy figures not directlyinvolved with the LNP and Mr Kitzelmann’s campaign and about his motivation in accepting theirassistance throughout this campaign. Those shadowy political and business figures more attuned to thecorporate lunches and their own self-promotion in Ipswich allegedly have brown paper bags—yes, Isuppose real-life bagmen—in their hands more often than how-to-vote cards.

I will be looking with great interest at the ECQ return on these matters. I am happy to be an openand accountable book. I am known to be aggressively against corruption of any form and I refuse to beassociated with these types of people. The LNP candidate’s hubris went so far as dressing up inbusiness suits—a bit unusual for the Bundamba electorate—and introducing himself as the incomingmember for Bundamba. It was unbelievable and unusual behaviour. He has learned that it is the voterswho decide that, not a born-to-rule, two-bob tory chanting meaningless slogans.

It was also disturbing to note that another person on his campaign team, a Mr Eddie Andrews ofCollingwood Park, and other associates involved in what seems a pseudo charity called First 24 Hours,which claims to be an open and accountable organisation, spent a lot of time trying to intimidate Laborcampaign workers by photographing and videoing them whilst campaigning—even on election day. Itable this document as well. Tabled paper: Twitter search results for term ‘Bundamba’.

Why would someone who claims to be an international expert in disaster management want to befilming pensioners, workers, young people and me volunteering for a Labor election campaign? Thissicko behaviour was reported to the ECQ and law enforcement agencies. I was also being followed inmy car. I was even followed home, where I was confronted in my driveway by two men. My family’shouses were also being photographed by a middle-aged man who made it clear that he was targetingmy family. This intimidating behaviour was reported to the police as it threatened my safety and thesafety of my family and campaign workers. Yes, this was the LNP campaign in Bundamba.

If it is true that the Premier and Deputy Premier want higher standards, if it is true that they wereoffended by the ALP campaign and if it is true that they want to speak with actions and not just wordsthen they should rid themselves of Kitzelmann from the LNP. If the Premier were true to his word then hewould act; he would cast aside any person in his political party who clearly has stepped over the line,particularly one who I understand now seeks LNP preselection for federal parliament; he would actagainst dishonesty, he would act against intimidation, he would act and distance himself from people inhis party who believe politics should be played in the gutter; and he would ensure the employment ofthose involved would never, ever be considered by LNP members of parliament, councillors or otherrepresentatives. Any employer would and should think long and hard about placing someone within theirorganisation whose gutter tactics, selfishness and moral fibre would undertake, condone or allow thesetypes of behaviour against volunteers, women and the elderly. Even when the LNP ran self-confessedheroin addict and dealer Mardi McLean it did not sink to these pitiful levels. I wonder what the LNPexecutive thinks of Mr Kitzelmann giving an endorsement—and I table this for the House—as the LNPcandidate for Bundamba, to Councillor Victor Attwood, a well-known ALP member for many decadesand the president of the Goodna branch of the ALP.Tabled paper: Council election flyer for Victor Attwood.

This endorsement was printed and distributed in a flyer to many thousands of households inIpswich. One can only question whether another shady deal was done, or perhaps he forgot what partyhe was in. Let us get to the heart of this disgraceful LNP candidate.

I have been told by numerous constituents that Mr Kitzelmann told them that he had taken avoluntary separation package from the Queensland government in order to campaign full time in theBundamba electorate. I am advised that the deed for the Queensland government Voluntary SeparationProgram is standard across the Public Service. It states in clause 2.3—I agree not to seek, apply for, accept engagement on or perform any work under a contract of service or a contract for services fora Queensland Government entity for a period of three (3) years from the date of termination of my employment specified in clause2.1.

There is also a schedule attached, known as schedule 1, which states—An entity is a Queensland Government entity if it is—

(a) a government department—

And it goes down to (g), which states—the Parliamentary Service.


‘So what?,’ I hear you say. Well, lo and behold, we have now found Mr Kitzelmann in his new roleas electorate officer for the member for Logan. I table this document. Tabled paper: Electorate office staff directory, Queensland Parliament.

His name is found in the Queensland Parliament House directory for electorate staff, Loganelectorate office, Hillcrest. So I ask this question: did Mr Kitzelmann indeed take a VSP, as he told manyconstituents, and, if so, how did he get to be employed as an electorate officer for the member forLogan? If he did take a VSP and is now employed by the member for Logan then is it not the fact that hehas been employed unlawfully? I understand that he would be in breach of not only clause 2.3 of thedeed for the Queensland Government Voluntary Separation Program but also clause 2.5 of the deedwhich states—The State has the right to immediately terminate my employment or engagement if I act in breach of clause 2.3 or 2.4 by acceptingengagement or performing work for a Queensland government entity within a three year period. The State also has the right torecord, on file, any such termination as serious disciplinary action.

He would be in breach by seeking a position and filling out appropriate forms of the ParliamentaryService. I now table an electorate office staff employment form.

The member for Logan would also be caught by signing the electorate officer’s staff employmentform—and I will table this document—that states that he interviewed the prospective employee—Tabled paper: Blank form titled ‘Electorate office staff employment form’.

A government member: What is your official complaint?Mrs MILLER: I am getting to that—reviewed the prospective employee’s resume and carried out

referee checks. I now ask this question in the public interest—Mr ELMES: I rise to a point of order. We have listened to this tirade of abuse of an LNP candidate

for a long time. Either the member for Bundamba is prepared to go outside this chamber and repeat thewords that she has used or she should sit down and shut up.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Berry): Order! I call the member for Bundamba. Mrs MILLER: I ask in the public interest: has the member for Logan, whilst looking after LNP

mates, also broken the law by completing the above forms and what checks did he in fact undertake? Ifwhat Mr Kitzelmann told the constituent is true, that he did in fact take a VSP to campaign full-time asthe LNP candidate in Bundamba, then we know he failed in that campaign. Not only that, he has brokenthe deed for the Queensland government voluntary separation program in clauses 2.3 and 2.5 and is inbreach of schedule 1 of that deed in accepting the job as electorate officer to the member for Logan.

I believe that this constitutes official misconduct and that the CMC should undertake aninvestigation of this LNP mates matter. Mr Kitzelmann should be stood down whilst an investigation isunderway and, if proven, then he should be not only sacked by the member for Logan but also expelledfrom the LNP. I also ask: should the member for Logan face appropriate disciplinary or other legal actionas well, as he has failed to fully investigate Mr Kitzelmann’s past and check the details of the terminationof his employment?

Last Sunday in the Sunday Mail, a report titled ‘LNP clamp down on skeletons in the closet’,stated that federal preselections for potential candidates faced tough new checks. I am told thatMr Kitzelmann has expressed interest in running for the LNP federally. I have to say there is nothing inthere about previous work history, nothing about breaking civil laws, nothing about endorsing ALPmembers and nothing about dodgy personal, political and business associates.

I am very proud to have been re-elected as the member for Bundamba. I would like to thank thepeople of Bundamba for electing me for a sixth term. I will always uphold community values—

Government members interjected.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bundamba, order! Mrs MILLER: Don’t like it, do youse? I will always uphold—Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bundamba!Government members interjected.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Member for Bundamba, continue. Mrs MILLER: Thank you for your protection, Mr Deputy Speaker. I will always uphold our

community values of honesty, hard work and fighting for what is right in Bundamba. Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Toowoomba North, I note that this is the

member’s first speech. As such, the honourable member shall be heard in silence. Mr WATTS (Toowoomba North—LNP) (7.52 pm): Representing the constituents of an electorate

is indeed a privilege and a humbling experience. Accordingly, I take my very first opportunity to speak inthis place to record that now I am the servant of the people of Toowoomba North. I will work hard every




single day to make sure they are represented to the best of my abilities as we, the LNP government,shape the future of Queensland and transform this state into the economic powerhouse of Australia.

It is with great pleasure that I speak in support of the motion for the adoption of the address-in-reply. As the newly elected member for Toowoomba North, I pledge my allegiance to Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth II, to her representative Her Excellency the Governor of Queensland and to thisparliament. I congratulate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her Diamond Jubilee. It is with fondmemories of my distant childhood that I remember the street parties of the Silver Jubilee. I look forwardto creating similar memories for my children this year. I join with my colleagues in congratulating MadamSpeaker on her appointment. I thank her for the privilege extended to myself in allowing me to deputisefor her as required.

I stand here today conscious of the honour the people of Toowoomba North have bestowed onme be electing me as their representative in this parliament, a place established by Queen Victoria toensure the people of Queensland have a voice in shaping their destiny. With this honour and thisprivilege comes great responsibility. I will endeavour to use wisely my time in this place and help build aQueensland that future generations will be proud to call home.

I did not arrive in this place without the help and guidance of many people over manygenerations. I pay tribute to my grandma, Kate Watts, for being the 10 pound pom who risked everythingshe had to come to these distant shores. She came with hope in her heart but, like so many of hergeneration had suffered the tragedies that war brings. I pay tribute to the next generation: my mother,Beryl Watts, for teaching me to be independent and self reliant and to my father, Bill Watts, for ensuringI knew that giving up was not an option. Even as cancer raged through his body, his dying words to mewere, ‘Fight, fight!’ Thank you, dad, and know that I will never given up on any fight. I pay tribute to mystep-dad, Dave Mason, who brought me up as his own son, ensuring that I knew that hard work was tobe rewarded, that traditions must be respected and that families grow strong with love.

In my own generation, I pay my deepest tribute to my wife, Susan, who changed her whole lifeand moved continents so that we could be together, leaving all she knew and loved to build a life withme in Queensland. I have known my wife since I was 12 years old and if I was a wiser man we wouldhave had more years together. To the next generation, the children who make my family complete,Brianna, Shannon, Mason and Jordan: I thank you for all your love and support. I love you all very muchand you make me very proud in all you do and achieve. More than that, you make me proud by simplybeing you. I thank my family for making sandwiches, wearing my T-shirts and for years driving aroundwith me in a car that has my name and face plastered all over it. I know how embarrassed the childrenhave been at the school pick-up gates. Finally, and privately, I say ‘thank you’ to my God for watchingover my life, especially through a near-fatal accident last year and for giving me the strength to meetlife’s challenges.

My congratulations go to the Hon. Lawrence Springborg for the vision and resolve demonstratedin uniting the two great voices of the conservative parties of Queensland into the one Liberal NationalParty. That vision formed the keystone of our result on 24 March. To the Premier, the Hon. CampbellNewman: thank you for your leadership and support. Now the children and grandchildren of Queenslandhave a brighter future and I will enthusiastically take on all challenges in our way to secure that brighterfuture. Premier, please pass on my heartfelt thanks and admiration to your wife and family for enduringthe pain of the disgraceful personal campaign that a desperate Labor Party ran against you and yourfamily. The people of Queensland deserve better and they voted accordingly.

As Mrs Thatcher once said, the problem with Socialist governments is that they eventually run outof other people’s money. Labor loves spending other people’s money. In government, the membersopposite spent all the money in the Queensland Treasury and then planned to borrow $85 billion moreof overseas people’s money in pursuit of a Socialist utopia for Queensland. Such waste! Such cripplingdebt! Every day millions of dollars were sent overseas just to pay the interest on the state’s credit card.I am left in my office, explaining to a mother of a high-needs disabled child why there is no money left inthe state budget for her desperate needs. Labor’s waste, mismanagement and desire for debt has leftthe most vulnerable in our society exposed and suffering. It is left to us, the LNP government, to repairthe damage of Labor’s waste and mismanagement.

The awesome responsibility of charting Queensland out of Labor’s financial mess falls to theTreasurer, the Hon. Tim Nicholls. My congratulations to you. We are confident in your ability to pull usout of this downward spiral left to us by Labor. Families, pensioners, small and large businesses and allof Queensland are looking to you. I am confident that history will show you were an outstanding choicefor the job.

It will come as no surprise to those present to hear that I am a proud member of the LNP.Accordingly, I would like to thank so many of my local branch who are proud LNP members—people likeJeanie Penrose, Bev and Bevan Kahler, and John Lutvey who have watched their beloved regionalQueensland neglected by the previous government but who still held strong for 20 years, making surethe home fires kept burning so this day would be possible.


Some like Cameron Hagan, Justin McGovern and Bec Williams brought the enthusiasm of youthto the campaign, igniting the flame of belief that a victory was possible. To my whole campaign team,volunteers, workers and booth captains, especially John White, Dave Nicholls, David van Gend, MikeHogan, Glennis Batten, Jim Curtis, Jim Taylor, Dellys Kelly, the Goodwin and Birtchly families and IsaacMoody: I say thank you to you all. Without your unselfish effort this day would not be possible.

To all the team at LNP HQ and particularly Bruce McIver, Barry O’Sullivan, Pat Weir and thehardworking Mitch Redford: thank you for the late nights and the wise counsel. Your steely resolve andbelief in me is much appreciated. To the Hon. Ian Macfarlane, federal member for Groom, and the Hon.Mike Horan, former member for Toowoomba South: I thank you for your support and wise counsel also.

A final thank you must go to my friend Barnaby Joyce, who said to me before I joined the party asI was enthusiastically lobbying him on an issue, ‘Well, what are you going to do about it? It’s time to putup or shut up.’ Well, Barnaby, I have put up and I am probably never going to shut up about the issuesthat affect my electorate.

Let me assure the people of Toowoomba North that I am part of a united LNP government that isfocused on them. We will lower their families’ cost of living by cutting waste; we will deliver betterinfrastructure and planning; we will revitalise our front-line services; we will build the four pillars of theQueensland economy; and, most importantly, we will be accountable in government. We do thisbecause the people of Toowoomba and Queensland deserve nothing less and because I gave them myword that we would.

Toowoomba sits atop the Great Dividing Range and was one of the 16 original electorates of theQueensland parliament. It is where the city meets the country, and I have called the Garden City homefor over 20 years. I represent this proud regional city with my friend and colleague the Hon. JohnMcVeigh. We are both graduates of the University of Southern Queensland, although the minister willalways call it the DDIAE.

The people who have chosen me to serve them live in the north of our city. For over 150 yearsthey have at different times chosen from all colours of the political spectrum in their search to find arepresentative who will ensure their wants, needs, desires and dreams are heard in this place andaction is taken to deliver on them. In the very first parliament in Queensland the electorate of Draytonand Toowoomba was represented by another Mr Watts—the Hon. John Watts to be precise. Onehundred and fifty-two years later the Queensland parliament and Toowoomba have elected their secondMr Watts. The Hon. John Watts and I share more than just the name, but more on that later.

The electorate of Toowoomba North was formed in 1972 and it has been a swinging seat. It wasoriginally won by Labor and then in 1974 the Liberals won the seat. In 1983 the Nationals, with Labortaking it back in 1989. Then Graham Healy won it for the National Party in 1992, followed by Kerry Shinefor Labor in 2001. On 24 March the people of Toowoomba North chose me to represent them in the 54thParliament, and I thank them. It has been a long road for me to earn their trust and get to this place.After losing a preselection in 2005 and being beaten in the 2009 state election, I have tasted defeat, andI hope that means my children can see me living my father’s advice to never give up fighting for whatyou believe in.

Some whom I am now represent are supporters of the previous Labor member. To those people Isay: be assured that I will work for all in the electorate. The previous member served the electorate wellbut he was part of a government that lurched increasingly left and neglected regional Queensland. Iwish Kerry Shine well and thank him sincerely for his hard work and service to the people ofToowoomba North.

The Toowoomba North electorate has inside its borders the CBD of Toowoomba, two privatehospitals, one police station, two ambulance stations, a TAFE college, 19 primary schools of which 11are private, eight secondary schools of which seven are private, the Toowoomba Turf Club, the airportand much more. The western boundary of the electorate is the industrial and manufacturing hub ofToowoomba. The eastern boundary is the Great Dividing Range. The southern boundary follows theWarrego Highway, which shamelessly cuts through the heart of our town. The northern boundary ishome to the Cabarlah Army barracks. This is a diverse electorate both geographically and socially, andI represent some of Queensland’s wealthiest people and some of the most disadvantaged.

Unlike my honourable counterpart in the south of the city, I was not born or brought up inToowoomba. I was not even born or brought up in Queensland. This gives me a unique perspective onmy home town and a desire to build on the great foundation laid by past generations whilst maintainingthe character and nature of the town I love. I was born in Essex, England, to an Australian dad and anEnglish mum. I grew up in and around London and spent much of my time wondering why my dadclipped me on the ear if I looked happy when Botham hit a four off of Lilley. Dad loved Lilley. In my teensI left England to start my around-the-world adventure. But at 44 I am still only half way around the worldbecause I fell in love with Queensland and stayed.

Along the way, at age 17 I found myself in Hong Kong, where I played basketball for the SouthChina Athletic Association. I got to travel all over Asia as the Asian tiger economies exploded. I have


seen the pace at which a growing economy builds productive infrastructure. I have seen the economicpower of well-managed government and business investment and all it has achieved for the people ofthat region. And let me assure you that red tape, mindless regulation, ever-increasing taxes and knee-jerk planning endured by Queenslanders under Labor is not the way to manage an economy.

I marvelled as I watched communist China lower the bamboo curtain and set itself on adevelopment path that still helps drive the Queensland economy today. There were also weaknesses inthe Asian model. I got to see up close what happens when a society forgets to look after its oldestcitizens and the most vulnerable—something we in Queensland must never let happen.

The first thing that drew me to Queensland was Expo 88, which showed me all the state had tooffer. Whilst I was on that first trip I visited a friend in Springsure. I saw the contrast of the city and thecountry and I knew then that I wanted to leave Hong Kong and make my future in Queensland. I wassure Queensland was the place to build a life and raise a family—and I know now that my decision wasthe right one.

The Confucius philosophy of my Chinese friends had shown me that education was the key to abetter future, and I saw my friends sacrifice everything just to put one child through university. The highvalue they placed on study ultimately inspired me to enrol at the University of Southern Queensland andstart my life in Toowoomba. The rest is history.

In preparing this speech some advised me not to overreach and say things that might be usedagainst me in future years by my opponents. They said I should choose my words carefully so as not tooffend, overpromise or set myself up for later failure. But this is not my nature. I am cut from the samecloth as those who chose our parliamentary Latin motto—audax at fidelis, ‘bold but faithful’. So, yes, Iwill be faithful to the people of Toowoomba North and regional Queensland who put me here, but I willalso be bold in my vision and in my pursuit of the interests of my region.

So here is some of that vision—bold dreams. As I start my time of service to the people ofToowoomba, I dream of a time of fast commuter trains and double-stacked container trains headingdown the range. I dream of an airport that can land commercial jets, an inland port at Charlton Wellcampand a public transport service to be proud of. I dream of a thriving, revitalised CBD, a university thatleads the world in speciality areas of research, an entertainment centre that can host large numbers ofpeople and a stadium filled by Toowoomba based national sporting teams.

I can dream of many things that my constituents would love to achieve to add to the great lifestylewe have living on top of the Great Dividing Range. I will work hard to make some of these dreams areality, but, to be honest, there is one thing the people of Toowoomba North have been dreaming of forfar too long, and this one thing will be my single greatest priority. Honourable members, I have heardmany of you make a case for infrastructure that is overdue in your electorates. None have waited aslong as the people of Toowoomba.

Mr Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, I did notforget you earlier in my speech and I congratulate you on your appointment. However, I wanted you tohear the words of the honourable John Watts, the very first member for Toowoomba, echoed down thegenerations, first spoken 152 years ago and still relevant today. In the maiden speech of John Wattsmade on 19 June 1860, the honourable member called attention to the importance of attending to thecondition of the road on the Toowoomba range. The honourable member went on to show that an unfairproportion of public money was spent on the Ipswich and Brisbane roads as compared to the mainrange, although the latter was the chief corridor of wealth. The honourable John Watts noted that all ofthe toll money collected from 1858 to 1860 on the Toowoomba range had been kept by the New SouthWales government.

For 152 years men by the name of Watts have called for a range crossing of a standard equal toother roads in Queensland. If I may speak for the late John Watts, we both still share a desire to see ourtown get a road that allows the wealth of Toowoomba and the Western Downs to flow freely andefficiently to the capital. Mr Deputy Premier, I know that you will work hard to build the business caseand finally prise Queensland’s fair share of money from the clutches of the federal government to deliverthis road. It is time. It is surely Toowoomba’s turn. Mr Deputy Premier, remember my dad’s dying wordsto his son, ‘Fight, fight.’ This is one fight I will not give up on for the people of Toowoomba. Thank youand God bless.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Berry): Before calling on the honourable member for Greenslopes, Iwish to recognise and pay due respect to the former member for Greenslopes and Chatsworth, Mr BillHewitt, who is with us in the gallery today. To Mr Hewitt, the House extends its welcome. Of course, youare always welcome.

Before I call the member for Greenslopes, I note that this is the member’s first speech and assuch the honourable member shall be heard in silence.

Mr KAYE (Greenslopes—LNP) (8.13 pm): I rise in this place tonight as the newly elected memberfor Greenslopes. I pledge my allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in this Diamond Jubilee yearand to Her Excellency the Governor of Queensland. I would also like to congratulate Madam Speaker on






her election as Speaker of the House. I have no doubt that she will preside over the House with dignityand fairness to all.

To the Premier: congratulations on your fine example of leadership throughout the campaign andin government. I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the immediate former memberfor Greenslopes and thank him for his service to public life. I also pay my respects to all previousmembers for Greenslopes. As has been mentioned, Bill Hewitt is in the House today.

To be elected is a great honour and not one that I will be taking lightly. I firmly believe that beingelected to parliament is not a job that you ever actually get: you are merely the custodian of the positionand servant to the people. If you think you actually have the job then perhaps you should not be here.Tonight I thank the people of Greenslopes for placing their trust in me.

The son of a mechanic and stay-at-home mum, I was raised in a loving, modest home in MountGravatt East, which is now part of the Greenslopes electorate. My father worked as a young mechanicat the government motor garage, which originally stood where the Parliamentary Annexe is today. Mymother later returned to work in sales and the tourism industry. I attended two great schools in theGreenslopes electorate—Mount Gravatt State Primary and Mount Gravatt High. My working life in theGreenslopes electorate dates back to 1985, when I commenced work at Coles Coorparoo near theCoorparoo Junction as a trolley boy. My family would also regularly go to Coorparoo Junction, then abusy shopping precinct, to shop at Myer, Coles or one of the other shops in that area.

After leaving high school I worked in the banking sector for two years, following which Icommenced a 23-year career with the Queensland police force which saw 16 years of service on thesouth side of Brisbane, spending a lot of that time in the Greenslopes electorate, along with seven yearsas a single officer stationed in Western Queensland on the far boundary of the electorate of SouthernDowns. My time out west provided me with a valuable insight into the challenges faced by our countrycousins. I have resigned from the service to take up my seat in parliament. I made a decision in thePolice Service that I wanted to remain operational. This meant sacrificing promotion and 23 years ofshiftwork. To put that into perspective for the House, the honourable member for Lytton was born theyear that I started working shiftwork.

My career in the Police Service has exposed me to many challenging situations along withinteractions with members of the community from all walks of life, locations and cultural backgrounds. Ihave dealt with people in all kinds of situations, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows andeverything in between. I have worked with public servants from many other government departmentsincluding Health, Education, the Ambulance Service and the Fire and Rescue Service, to name but afew.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all of my former colleagues—the men andwomen of the Queensland Police Service—and pay tribute to them in the often thankless job that theydo. In particular, I pay tribute to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. It has been an honour towork alongside you. Over the time I served in the Queensland Police Service 15 officers were killed inthe execution of their duties. Whilst there are many officers in the service, I had the great privilege ofknowing four of these brave officers. It is a timely reminder with the 12-month anniversary of SeniorConstable Damian Leeding’s tragic death, which other members have also spoken about in this House.

I also have a long history of volunteering at events like Expo ‘88 with groups such as the RuralFire Brigade and the State Emergency Service and am a current member of the Lions ClubInternational. I would like to pay a special tribute to all Lions members, in particular the Holland ParkLions Club for their work with the flood victims last year in Brisbane. As a member of this club, I saw thetireless work and compassion that went into assisting people in the Yeronga and Fairfield areacoordinated by Lion David Floyd.

My experiences within the Queensland Police Service and my community involvement are whathave led me to be standing in this place today. I saw an ever-increasing frustration among staff ofgovernment departments that they could be doing things better. I saw firsthand the massive amount ofwaste occurring within government. I realised the only place that I would be able to truly make adifference and be part of the necessary change was in this House. I only wish every member here couldhave walked in my or any other police officer’s shoes and have seen what we have seen. EveryQueenslander has the right to feel safe.

I would like to share with the House just one of the many experiences which helped drive me tocontest the election for the seat of Greenslopes. In 2011 I had the need to convey a young personsuffering a mental illness to a local hospital. This happened on a Tuesday night at about 7.30. Therewas nothing spectacular about this Tuesday night. There was no known or expected reason for thishospital in an Australian capital city to be busy. We arrived to observe about 10 ambulances ramped.We walked inside and, after speaking with triage staff who were extremely busy—and, I might add,frustrated—we stood at the counter. Due to lack of beds our patient slept on the floor under a blanket.We continued to stand there until about 11 pm, when we were relieved by our night work crew. Thatnight work crew then stood at the same place until 1.30 the next morning with our patient still sleepingon the floor under the blanket. Finally a bed became available. I am not for one minute criticising the



staff at that hospital. In fact, it is quite the opposite. They, despite the conditions that they were workingunder, were doing exceptionally well. It was not their fault. The system had let them down; the previousLabor government had let them down.

This one example also highlights the domino effect of a broken system—the impact on thepatient, the impact on hospital staff, police officers kept from other duties, ambulances rampedpreventing ambulance officers tending to more patients and ultimately people’s lives put at risk. Whenyou are involved personally in situations like that, you know that the system is broken and needs to befixed. Sadly, I could talk for hours of similar stories.

I now turn my attention to the electorate of Greenslopes. Greenslopes, nestled on the south sideof Brisbane—and, for the benefit of members of the House, the best side of Brisbane—covers thecomplete suburbs of Holland Park and Holland Park West, and it covers parts of the suburbs of MountGravatt East, Mount Gravatt, Greenslopes, Coorparoo, Camp Hill and Norman Park. At last count,30,178 people resided within the Greenslopes electorate. There are many wonderful state andindependent schools, terrific kindergartens and day-care centres and active community groups withinthe electorate. To the many teachers, support staff, early childhood workers and volunteers, I say thankyou for your dedication and hard work.

There are several great sporting clubs servicing the electorate, including numerous bowls clubs,Coorparoo junior Australian rules, Easts Rugby Union, Easts junior rugby league, the Holland ParkHawks, the Metropolitan Districts Netball Association in Coorparoo, the Brisbane touch association atWhites Hill and the Easts Leagues Club to name a few. Community spirit is alive and well inGreenslopes. We must also, however, do our utmost to support community groups and local sportingclubs to ensure that they survive to serve generations to come. These groups are a part of the backboneof our community and provide an important role in bringing people together. I commit to supportingthese groups wherever I can. This includes scouting—an organisation which plays an important role inproviding tremendous skills to our children and young people. I attended Chester Estate Scouts, whichhas now moved out of the electorate of Greenslopes. However, we still have Majestic Park scouts,which is one of the largest groups in the state, along with the Victor Street scouts providing this valuablecommunity service.

Greenslopes residents come from many different cultural backgrounds from all around the world.Greenslopes’ multicultural history goes back many years, with one example being the Holland Parkmosque, the oldest mosque in Queensland founded in 1908. Many young families are once againmoving into the Greenslopes electorate. I will work in partnership with local government to preserve andimprove parks and green space to provide an atmosphere that people want to live in and raise a family.With the increase in higher density living, these areas are even more vital. I am also committed tokeeping new constructions in line with existing neighbourhoods to preserve the appearance and lifestyleof our suburbs.

I would now like to talk about several issues within the Greenslopes electorate. It is commonknowledge that the Eastern Busway has not progressed past Main Avenue at Coorparoo. As early as2007, residents and businesses within the Coorparoo Junction area and surrounds were desperatelyseeking information on what the future held. Today, those questions are still being asked. I will befighting hard to provide certainty to the residents and business along the Eastern Busway route so theyknow once and for all what lies ahead.

The same can be said for what some are referring to as the mythical transit oriented developmentat the Coorparoo Junction. Under the previous government, businesses in the Coorparoo area found itextremely difficult and frustrating when attempting to get information on the status of that project.Businesses have been affected, people’s health has been affected and jobs have been affected. I amdetermined to provide clarity in what is happening with that development so again people can get onwith their lives and plan for the future. I look forward to briefing interested parties in the near future.

The railway crossing at the end of Cavendish Road, Coorparoo, featured heavily as an issuewhilst I was doorknocking during both the 2009 and 2012 campaigns. This crossing has been spokenabout for many, many years. What I will say is that I think it is time for that crossing to be looked atagain. There have been accidents, there have been lives lost over the years, and there is disruption totraffic. I will investigate what options there are for segregation of rail, pedestrian and road traffic. I willsay this: my preferred option is one that would not impact on businesses nor require resumptions ofhomes or businesses.

Another area in which I am keen to see improvements within the Greenslopes electorate is safetyaround schools. Our children are our future, and I fully support the government’s program toprogressively roll out flashing school zone lights. In fact, I was pleased to announce in the lead-up to theMarch election that these lights would be installed on busy Cavendish Road outside the CavendishRoad High School. This particular school zone caters for a large number of school students and hightraffic volume, making it an ideal location for such an initiative.


With my background in law enforcement, I have an intimate knowledge of the requirements offront-line policing in suburban stations. I am determined to fight for more front-line police at local stationsand I welcome our government’s announcement of 1,300 more police over the next four years.

The rising cost of living has hurt Queensland families, and the people of the Greenslopeselectorate are no different. I will be working hard as part of this LNP government to cut the waste withingovernment that I have seen firsthand. Through our election commitments, we will deliver real savingsto the people of Greenslopes and Queensland.

The Greenslopes electorate contains a high number of small businesses. These businesses,which people put their heart, soul and financial future into, are vital to the prosperity of the electorateand the state, and they have been doing it tough. Red tape, rising costs and challenging economicconditions have played havoc with their bottom line. I will do my part by supporting reforms ingovernment to reduce red tape and encourage economic growth to assist small business.

Lastly, I am determined to improve front-line service delivery for the people of Greenslopes. I willbe fighting for more police, fire and ambulance officers. I will fight for more teachers, doctors andnurses. In addition, we need to get our front-line people back to doing what they are supposed to bedoing—serving the people of Queensland. I have seen too many decent, hardworking public servantsfrustrated at simply not being able to do their job, tied up in bureaucratic red tape. They have also livedunder a culture of fear, afraid to speak out against what is wrong for fear of retribution. We in this LNPgovernment will bring positive change to Queensland.

It is now time for me to thank the many people who have helped me in my journey to this place.My campaign team has stood by me over the past 3½ years through what has been a very long andunusual campaign. Thanks go to my campaign manager, Matt Tapsall. Words cannot express thegratitude and respect that I have for you. Similar thanks go to the members of my campaign team—Matthew, Ross, Dan, Nick and Haaki. Haaki is with me today. In thanking those people, I must alsoacknowledge the impact such a long campaign had on their family and social life, and I thank theirfamilies accordingly. I also acknowledge the Greenslopes SEC and all the branches within theGreenslopes electorate and the hard work that they have done.

To the Premier and Treasurer, your assistance to my campaign certainly was a major contributingfactor to our success in Greenslopes. We were really up against the might of the Labor machine in aseat which, quite frankly, Labor did not expect to lose. Other very special thanks must go to the Hon.Don Cameron AM, former federal member for Griffith, Fadden and Moreton, and his wife, Lila. Doncontinued to work even though his health was failing. I thank you, Don, for your help and your wisdomdeveloped over many successful campaigns within the federal arena. I am truly pleased that your healthis slowly returning. I would also like to extend a thank you to William ‘Bill’ Hewitt, the former member forChatsworth and Greenslopes, former chairman of committees and former minister, who also helpedboth physically and with his advice. Thank you, Bill.

Thanks also go to Councillor Ian McKenzie of the Holland Park ward and his wife, Josie, for theirefforts in supporting me. I think people have forgotten the impact that the delay of the state election hadon our local government elections. I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate CouncillorMcKenzie on his decisive win.

I also thank Senator George Brandis SC and Deputy Mayor Adrian Schrinner for their supportalong the way. To the LNP HQ—in particular, Bruce McIver, Gary Spence, Michael O’Dwyer, JamesMcGrath, Matt McEachan and Mitch Redford—the disciplined, professional, positive campaign that youorchestrated is a lesson to all in politics.

To the many members of the LNP and the many community members who stepped up before andduring the campaign, I say thank you. My thanks go to those who helped and were not members of theLNP. They are the people who were no longer prepared to sit on the sidelines; they desperately wanteda change of government. To the members of the Young LNP, I say thank you. Your energy andcommitment was a credit to you all. A point of note in the campaign for me was when members of theLabor Party openly said they were voting for me and the LNP. I realise that this was not an easy decisionfor them. I acknowledge that and I will work hard to earn their trust.

I will be working hard for all members of the community, no matter who they voted for. There aretwo attributes that make a good police officer, and they are common sense and the ability to talk topeople. I believe that these attributes are also applicable to being a good local member. As everyone inthis place will testify—as some have already said—the impact of running for public office on your familyis considerable. With that in mind, to my wife, Louise, and my children, Johanna and Liam, I thank youfor your love, support and, just as importantly, your understanding—and for also turning up tonight whenI did not know you were coming! It is very easy to neglect your family in this occupation and all of us inthis House should put time aside to spend with our families. This is vitally important.

I want to sincerely thank my parents, Don and Roslyn—who I also did not know were coming—fortheir love and tireless work, including lengthy periods of babysitting and driving children to and fromschool. To my sister, Lyn, who even made a trip from Sydney to assist, thank you. Thanks to my brother,


David, for his long distance pieces of advice—whether I wanted them or not! To my parents-in-law, Jakeand Cathy Gillam, I say thank you for your love and assistance, not to mention allowing me to marryyour daughter. Thanks also to Rollie, Shaun, Mark and Tanya, Jason and Sonya, Murray, Bob andJocelyn, Althea and Sharon along with other dear friends. You know who you are.

To my electorate office staff, you have done a sensational job in catching up on the workload andgetting the office up and running in what has been a challenging time for all. I want to acknowledge all ofmy grandparents for their contributions to who I am today. Perhaps my biggest fan was my grandmotherEunice Bowmaker. Her love, support and faith in me throughout all of my life played a big part in the factthat I stand up here today. Her tireless volunteer work, which she only gave up at the young age of 100,was an inspiration to all who knew her. Unfortunately, Eunice did not get to see me elected, havingpassed away on Christmas Day last year at the age of 102. I am sure she is watching. Finally, I want tosay that I see my future in this House, no matter how long, to be a continuation of my service to thepeople of Queensland. I do promise to respect the people of Greenslopes and Queensland and servefaithfully, transparently and honestly. I thank the House.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Berry): Order! Before I call the honourable member for Mansfield, Iwish to acknowledge the presence in the gallery of Frank Carroll, the former member for Mansfield. Iknow Frank personally and on behalf of honourable members we extend to him a very warm welcome tothis House. I now call on the member for Mansfield. I note that this is the member’s first speech and assuch the honourable member shall be heard in silence. I call on the member for Mansfield.

Mr WALKER (Mansfield—LNP) (8.32 pm): I congratulate and thank my good friend andcolleague the member for Greenslopes, who preceded me, on a wonderful speech. I thank HerExcellency the Governor for her speech and I welcome this opportunity to respond. I pledge myallegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and I am particularly pleased to do so in this, her jubileeyear. I thank the electors of Mansfield for the great honour they have paid me by electing me as theirrepresentative in this place. I pay tribute to my predecessor, Mr Phil Reeves, who served the people ofMansfield for some 13 years. While speaking of former members, I also pay tribute to his immediatepredecessor, Mr Frank Carroll, who last represented Mansfield from the non-Labor side of politics from1995 to 1998 and who was an active supporter during my campaign.

As you come out of the city along Logan Road you get to where, in my youth, the tram used tostop. Now called Mount Gravatt Central, it marks the entry into the electorate of Mansfield. You cancontinue down Logan Road, past the showgrounds and through to the Garden City intersection. If youturn left you can complete your journey through the electorate along Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road andthen along Mount Cotton Road to just beyond the border of Brisbane city into the suburb of Sheldon andRedland City. My forebears held political office in what is now that great city and I am pleased to becontinuing that tradition. My maternal great-grandfather, William Davidson Ross, was four timeschairman of the Cleveland Divisional Board, the predecessor to our local councils, concluding his termon his death in July 1895. He was a colourful figure who had been to the gold rushes in Gympie andmade his fortune there. He had a significant hand in getting the railway extended to Cleveland in 1889—all the way to Cleveland Point in fact. He purchased the former police lockup there and converted it tohis residence. Many in this house would know it today as the Courthouse Restaurant. My grandmotherWinifred Ross was his last child, born when he was 72 years old. He was the can-do man of his time inmore ways than one!

Another maternal great-great grandfather, Hans Heinrich Heinemann, was an early prominentsettler at Mount Cotton in the mid-1800s. His family had immigrated to Queensland from Schleswig-Holstein with many other German families. They grew sugar at Mount Cotton, supplying the Palmschutney factory in East Brisbane. His son Henry Heinemann was a member of the Tingalpa DivisionalBoard and had much to do with the creation of Mount Cotton Road, which, as I said, now runs throughthe electorate of Mansfield. The next few generations of my family were not particularly politicallyinvolved and, if anything, I suspect had a political sympathy towards the Labor side. I remember myparents saying to me, however, in the early 1970s that the Labor politicians of today are not what theyused to be.

My father, Jack, was born in Ashgrove and had his first job at the T&G Insurance company. Therehe met my mother, Val. They were to have a very happy marriage until my mother’s untimely death atage 50. My dad played the saxophone in dance bands around Brisbane at venues including the famousCloudland. When he and mum moved to Sydney in 1954, he joined a dance band with a pianist by thename of Kevin Jacobsen and a drummer by the name of Johnny Bogie. Kevin’s brother Colin oftencame along and strummed guitar with the band. Colin Jacobsen was to become Col Joye, but my dadreturned to Brisbane before he could officially become a ‘Joy Boy’.

Dad worked in the insurance industry in Brisbane with National Mutual and mum fulfilled theclassically underrated role of domestic duties in the sixties and seventies, devoting herself to the welfareof my two sisters, who are in the gallery tonight, and me. My parents were both instrumental in instillingin me values of personal effort and reward combined with community service through P&Cs, serviceclubs and church. They gave me a great start in life—seeing my education through Camp Hill State





School; dad’s alma mater Churchie, with which I have had a strong and continuing relationship over theyears; and the University of Queensland, with the aid of a Commonwealth scholarship.

It was at the University of Queensland that I started studying politics. The first subject Iencountered was modern political ideologies, the first instalment taking us from Plato to Machiavelli andthe second instalment to the present day. The liberalism of John Stuart Mill immediately appealed to meand remains my starting point in any political debate. In my final decision about a political life, however,I was commendably thorough about it. I asked our local ALP councillor, Alderman Joe Bradfield, and ourlocal Liberal state member for Chatsworth, Bill Hewitt, each to call at our house with their respectiveparty platforms. Joe called around with a little grey book on Labor Party platform and principles and Billhad a slimmer booklet with a beautiful light-blue cover containing the Liberal state platform. Bill won theday and I joined the Young Liberals.

I subsequently became president of the Young Liberals in 1979. There I met my wife, HeatherAppleton, who had been the movement’s branch development officer. We married in 1979 and arecoming up to our 33rd wedding anniversary. Heather has been instrumental in raising our two childrenbut, in doing so, has carved out significant achievements of her own, particularly in the area of tutoringAboriginal children, lengthy service as chair of a refugee resettlement group and now has a significantrole chairing one of Brisbane’s larger Anglican schools. Our children cannot escape the political bloodline. Both are members of the Young LNP and indeed both work in political offices, although at anotherlevel of government. I think as was said in this House yesterday, the apple does not fall far from the tree.I thank my family for their strong support of my campaign. I have continued to play a role in theorganisational side of my party. In 1983 I was a member of the state executive of the Liberal Party whentension between the coalition members reached breaking point. Although always supporting the viewthat a cooperative coalition was the best form of government for Queensland, when the tough timescame I was a strong supporter of the Liberal cause.

As the years passed, however, and as government in this state eluded my side of politics for allbut fleeting periods, it became quite apparent that a single party was needed. I had experienced verypositive times as a member of the coalition policy committee during the Borbidge-Sheldon years andcame to believe that the two parties could really work together well as one. I was a strong supporter thenwhen the Minister for Health and former leaders Borbidge and Sheldon began promoting the idea of theLiberal National Party. This caused tension with some of my Liberal colleagues and long-time friends,but I think it is hard now to find anybody who disagrees with the success story that is the LNP. We haveseen impressive results at federal, state and local levels over just four years. I commend our partypresident, Bruce McIver, and vice-president, Gary Spence, for their determined, clear-headed andforthright leadership of the organisation.

In the recent state campaign, director James McGrath ran a campaign the quality of which I havenot seen matched in my 35 years within the political organisation. The Premier himself was also, ofcourse, an essential ingredient in that success. I have had the privilege of knowing and supporting himsince he first ran for office in Brisbane City. His vision and his determination impressed me from dayone. Those qualities could not better be displayed than through his courageous decision to leave hisrole as Lord Mayor of Brisbane, where he was riding high, and to spend 12 months around this placecarrying a visitor’s pass and working tirelessly in a risky quest to become Premier. He prevailed, and hisstory will deservedly become one of Queensland’s political heroic legends.

In mid-2010 I decided that I wanted to represent our party in the state parliament. The triggeringsignals for me were frequent independent reviews of the Queensland government’s economic positionshowing it lagging in the field of the Australian states time after time. My early political experience hadbeen in times when if our state’s finances fell to second or third in the country that would be cause forconcern, and here we were trailing the field with our AAA rating lost. Some would see this economicanalysis as a long way from grassroots politics, but I soon found in my discussions with the residents ofMansfield at shopping centres, at school fetes and on doorsteps that this was of overarching concern tothem as well.

Mansfield boasts a broad centre of solid Australians who work hard to progress their lives andrely on government to assist only when they really do need help. We have a large number of localbusinesses centred in Mansfield. I knew from talking to them that every time the Queensland economytook a hit they also suffered. I am an unashamed advocate for entrepreneurship. I believe that oursociety can function best when those who are prepared to take a risk, to borrow money, to have familyhelp in their business and to provide jobs for those around them are given the opportunity to do just that.They are the sort of people who will provide the wealth that our community needs, and that wealth can inturn provide a source of assistance to those who need a hand up from time to time. It will be thehardworking people in our community who I want to see succeed, because when they succeedeveryone in the community succeeds.

This focus on getting the economy back on track resonated in the contract I entered into with thepeople of Mansfield before the election. I promised to support a government that would grow a four-pillareconomy based on tourism, agriculture, resources and construction that would lower the cost of living


for families by cutting waste, that would deliver better infrastructure and planning, that would revitalisefront-line services for families and that would restore accountability in government. Having been electedas the member for Mansfield I remain more committed than ever to this pledge to my constituents, and Ifeel heartened with the steps that the government has already taken in these crucial areas.

While this is the big picture for the people of Mansfield, there are a number of local issues of greatimportance to me and to my community. The Mount Gravatt Showgrounds stand on Logan Road asproud evidence that this suburban community hosts an annual show—not only for the benefit of our ownresidents but also for many others on the south side of Brisbane. The show pulls record crowds and,being held close to RNA show time, it can provide a lower cost alternative for those who find the cost ofthe Ekka a bit steep. Mansfield residents will know that the site has been the scene of many battles, thefirst led by the legendary Arthur Scurr when the Brisbane City Council proposed to sell the site in the1970s. The resulting legal case went all the way to the Privy Council, the last case from Australia to beheard by that judicial body. Arthur Scurr and the community won. The trust requiring the land to be heldfor show purposes was enshrined in state legislation. But, as with all legislation, ‘enshrined’ is neverguaranteed as permanent. The latest battle was waged by many local residents when the managementof the showgrounds became a political issue just last year. Options were under consideration by theprevious government that could have taken away the community input into the appointment of theground’s trustees. Our showgrounds is a continually-buzzing centre of activity through the year—notonly at show time—and I will be a determined advocate of it remaining in community control and freefrom political interference.

Local traffic issues are of concern to Mansfield residents. It is interesting to see that mypredecessor’s maiden speech in 1998 referred to the need to fix up the traffic problems experienced onMount Gravatt-Capalaba Road. What is new? Many of the problems associated with that road remainunresolved. I am even more aware of them now that my office is only metres away from the thunderingtrucks that roar past every day. The upgrade of the Kessels and Main roads intersection, while a greatstep forward, will put more pressure on Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road and its intersection with LoganRoad at Garden City. I have committed to fight for an upgrade of this intersection. It is a majorundertaking and an enormously expensive one, but we must start planning for that upgrade.

Mount Cotton Road continues to carry heavy traffic loads and has not been, as promised by mypredecessor, duplicated from Mount Gravatt-Capalaba Road through to Tingalpa Creek. Further roadinfrastructure pressures are likely to arise as parts of Rochedale are developed for residential use. Theformer government has left us in a dire financial situation and it will simply not be possible to deal with allof these pressing issues in the short term, but I will continually represent to the government as to thepriority needed for these projects to the best of my ability.

The degree to which community involvement at a voluntary level enhances the life of theresidents of Mansfield is immense. In addition to the P&Cs, Meals on Wheels, Neighbourhood Watchand sporting groups—go the Vultures—are groups like the Mount Gravatt Environment Group, whichdoes a magnificent job looking after Mount Gravatt and its environs; the Mount District CommunityCentre, which provides programs of great social benefit to the residents of Mansfield and beyond; andthe Mount Gravatt Men’s Shed, which sets an extraordinary standard in reaching out to the men of ourdistrict. There are many others besides. I know from my five years as trustee of the Lord Mayor’sCommunity Trust that our Premier appreciates that a dollar given to a well-managed community groupgoes many times further than that dollar spent by the government itself. I trust that, even though toughbudgetary times are no doubt upon us, I can advocate strongly for continued support for these groups.They provide wonderful assistance and enrichment to our community which we often take for granted.Our Caring for our Community grants program will be a great start in this policy area.

I have been honoured to be appointed Assistant Minister for Planning Reform. Although I have noillusions that any career outside politics can prepare one for a career within it, I have had the opportunityto gain some experience in my chosen profession within the property and planning areas. As a formerlawyer, I know that the government’s good intentions in legislating do not always help. In my former lifemy spirits always rose when I heard the phrase, ‘We are going to simplify the legislation.’ This invariablymeant that the legislation became more complex and the need for people to consult their lawyers onlyincreased. This government has a commitment to streamlining the planning system and cutting redtape. I know that those words are easily said yet much more difficult to implement, but we will do whatwe say.

Our financial position as a state does not allow for much room in the way of handouts or grants.What we can do, however, is remove as many of the unnecessary roadblocks to development of ourstate as possible to ensure that the economy is freed to tick over much more quickly. In doing so, ofcourse, we will never abandon the need to have first-class community and environmental outcomes.

I wish to thank the team of great supporters who were crucial to my party’s success in Mansfieldon 24 March. I take as the embodiment of a great team, many of whom are in the gallery tonight, mycampaign director Malcolm Cole. He and they never tired for nearly 18 months in taking our causeforward. The LNP branches in Mansfield and Upper Cavendish Road were a continuing source of


physical and moral support and I will never forget it. Local councillor Krista Adams was always there tohelp. Her knowledge of the Wishart ward, which coincides with a large part of the Mansfield electorate,is second to none and her advice to me on issues and personalities was of huge assistance. She wasrightfully rewarded with a wonderful increase in her vote at the recent Brisbane City Council elections. Ialso pay tribute to my former partners and staff members at Norton Rose Australia for their willingnessto allow me to move to a part-time role in the last year of my time with the firm, allowing me more time tocampaign.

Perhaps to an extent that is without precedent in our political history, this parliament has newmembers who bring a rich diversity of work and life experience. I believe that that will not only enhancethe capacity of the Newman government to deliver on our clear and bold policy commitments but alsoenable us to be a government and a parliament that more genuinely and accurately reflects the richdiversity of our state itself. We who have been elected here for the first time as a part of the first everLNP government—and there is a great camaraderie amongst us—understand the enormity of thechallenge and the responsibility that the people of Queensland have given us. We understand that thisalso encompasses tremendous trust. In whatever capacity I serve, and especially as the member forMansfield, I will never neglect, forget or abuse the trust the people have placed in me as a local memberand in the government in which I am privileged to serve. I say with all the confidence I can commandthat we will not let down the people who voted for us, and many of those did that for the first time in theirlives.

As I conclude my first speech in this parliament I want to put in the most simple terms what I seeas summarising and encapsulating the goal of the government, a goal I wholeheartedly embrace—thatis, a return to good government for the people of Queensland. Simple but refreshingly achievable. Ithank the House.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Berry): Order! Before I call on the member for Pine Rivers, I note thatthis is the member’s first speech and as such the honourable member shall be heard in silence.

Mr HOLSWICH (Pine Rivers—LNP) (8.51 pm): I am truly humbled and honoured to be standinghere today as the elected representative of the great electorate of Pine Rivers. After 23 years of Laborrepresentation in Pine Rivers I am keenly aware of the significance of the trust that the people of myelectorate have placed in me and the Newman government to deliver strong outcomes for ourcommunity and for our state. I do not take this trust for granted and I commit myself to serving my stateand my electorate with passion, energy and vision.

As I reflect on my life so far, I trace my journey to this place initially back to my schooling years. Itwas as a student of a great Brisbane high school, Banyo State High—now known as Earnshaw StateCollege—in the electorate of Nudgee, that I was first introduced to politics and first developed aninterest in government. The leadership and development opportunities that I was able to benefit from atBanyo High significantly shaped my life. I thank my parents for allowing me to take up so manyopportunities during my school years and my high school teachers for demonstrating a belief in myabilities.

My passion for conservative politics also stems from my high school years. It was the era ofKeating and Hewson in our federal parliament and the 1993 federal election where many thought thecoalition would take power. Dare I mention the word ‘Fightback’? I remember reading through thecoalition’s policy documents from that campaign, and the values that underpin those policies resonatedwith me. In the Liberal and National parties I believed, and in the LNP still believe today, that I had founda political party that matched my beliefs and values. These values were stated quite succinctly by formerPrime Minister John Howard in his autobiography where he writes—I’ve always believed in an Australia built on reward for individual effort, with a special place of honour for small business as theengine room of our economy. I’ve always believed in a safety net for those amongst us who don’t make it. I’ve always believed inthe family as the stabilising and cohering unit of our society. And, I believe very passionately in an Australia drawn from the fourcorners of the earth, but united behind a common set of Australian values.

My life since high school has led me down many paths, some of which I will cherish forever, someof which I regret and some of which stretched me and built my character more than I could ever havepossibly imagined. I know that each of these experiences has shaped the person I am now. They haveshaped the representative that I am and I will continue to be for Pine Rivers and have shaped the visionand priorities that I bring to this parliament.

Pine Rivers is an area of natural beauty, an area of strong business and thriving industry and anarea that offers a pleasant lifestyle for all our residents. The Pine Rivers electorate is diverse, from theurban suburbs such as Strathpine, Bray Park and Lawnton; the new developments around the lakes inWarner; moving west past Lake Samsonvale towards the beautiful township of Dayboro; and thesurrounding areas such as Ocean View and Mount Pleasant. We have a strong industry presence,particularly in the Brendale industrial precinct, which is strategically positioned on the outskirts ofBrisbane and is continuing to grow and attracting business of all sizes and various industry sectors intoour region.





We are a resilient community. We suffered almost unnoticed at times through the 2011 floods. Welost the AJ Wyllie Bridge at Lawnton due to flood damage, and homes and sporting clubs wereinundated with floodwater. Dayboro in particular suffered terribly with severe flash flooding. But throughall of this our community pulled together; we helped out our neighbours and we got the job done. Thiswas particularly evident in Dayboro, where the township pulled together to ensure no-one was leftsuffering alone.

So what is my vision for Pine Rivers and what are my priorities for Pine Rivers? These areimportant questions for me, because my actions in this parliament and in my electorate stem from thisvision and these priorities. A former employer of mine often quoted the well-known phrase that you needto start with the end in mind, and it is with that thought that I share my vision for the Pine Riverselectorate.

My vision for Pine Rivers is a lofty one in that I want to see our region become the envy of thestate. I want to see our region as a business powerhouse. I want to see our residents enjoying a lifestylethat is unsurpassed throughout the state. I want to see our local schools graduating students who haveachieved strong results and who are work ready and life ready. I want our region to be a place thatpeople flock to for our wide range of tourist and recreational activities. I want to see our region as aleader in the standard of community services provided to those in need.

To this sort of grandiose vision some could easily roll their eyes and quote the great Australianicon Darryl Kerrigan by saying, ‘Tell him he’s dreaming,’ but those who know me would know that I havespent a lifetime determined to prove people wrong when they have told me I am simply dreaming. It islike a red rag to a bull. In saying that, I do not necessarily believe that Pine Rivers will reach such loftyheights during my time as their representative, but I give an absolute commitment to the people of PineRivers that I will spend every day working hard to move us steadily forwards toward that goal.

My vision for Pine Rivers is that as a community we will reach our potential and that Pine Riversresidents, businesses, school students and community workers will grasp hold of the opportunities thatare available to them, that we will create new opportunities and be innovative in responding to thechallenges that face our community, that we will work together to create a better future for all those inour community and, ultimately, that we will play our part in shaping Queensland’s future.

My priorities for the Pine Rivers region align with that vision that I just shared and with thepriorities set by the Newman government. If the Newman government is going to get Queensland backon track then areas like Pine Rivers are well positioned to make that a reality. I am committed to jobs forPine Rivers residents. I take our government’s pledge to reduce unemployment to four per cent in sixyears very personally. I have spent many years in the recruitment industry, working both in my regionand throughout the state with employers, industry groups, chambers of commerce and job seekers. It isa passion of mine to see that all people have the opportunity for meaningful employment and to developthe career of their choice.

I will work hard to ensure that business and industry grow in Pine Rivers, creating jobs for locals.Next month when I host a Moreton Bay hinterland tourism forum in Dayboro, ultimately it is with a strongdesire to see more jobs created in our region. I am keen to see the four-pillar economy, based aroundconstruction, tourism, agriculture and resources, on show in my electorate. I will continue to work closelywith local businesses, particularly small businesses. I will be their voice to government and will alwaysbe a vocal supporter of our local businesses.

I am committed to fighting for improved infrastructure in our region, to ensure that we have betterinfrastructure and better planning for the future growth that has already started. We are a growing regionand for many years our infrastructure has not kept up with growth. In 1975 in this House, in his maidenspeech, the then member for Pine Rivers, Rob Akers, said, ‘Pine Rivers is bursting far beyond itsfacilities.’ It seems that some things have not changed too much in the past few decades. I will fight forbetter transport infrastructure in our region. Just as I have already fought successfully for improved busservices for Lawnton residents and for openness and accountability with the rebuild of the AJ WyllieBridge, I will continue to fight for the road upgrades we need and the improved rail services and busservices that will meet the needs of local commuters.

I will also lead the fight for better health infrastructure, arts facilities, sport and recreationinfrastructure and educational facilities. As well as better educational facilities, I am committed toensuring our children have the best education possible and that they have opportunities, regardless oftheir family’s socioeconomic situation, to succeed in their chosen fields of endeavour. Just last week Ihad the opportunity to be principal for the day at Lawnton State School. I was overwhelmed by thesense of community in this small suburban school and the dedication and passion of the teachers I met.I want to thank all the teachers, the school support staff and the parents and citizens organisations of allthe schools in Pine Rivers for the work that they do in educating our children. They have my full supportand I look forward to working with all our schools to assist them in their important work. Our schools arejust one of the critical front-line services that so desperately need revitalising.

I am committed to fostering a strong sense of community in Pine Rivers. We have many fantasticcommunity organisations, such as the Pine Rivers Neighbourhood Centre; our rural fire brigades in


Dayboro, Ocean View and Samsonvale; hard working Neighbourhood Watch groups; environment andwildlife care groups; and service clubs such as Rotary, Interact, Lions, Apex and Zonta. I look forward tocontinued opportunities to support those groups in the work they do for our local community and morebroadly across the globe.

I am committed to ensuring that there is a sustainable balance between development andenvironmental conservation in our region. I have the privilege of living in an area where I still see theoccasional koala wandering through my backyard. I want to make sure that, when my children grow,they and their children still have that opportunity to see wildlife in their natural habitat in Pine Rivers. Atthe same time I also want to ensure that we see the level of development necessary to support strongpopulation growth in our region and that we see the continued growth of the local four- pillar economy. Iwill strive to see that we keep that sustainable balance wherever possible.

I am committed to going in to bat for those in our society who do not have a voice. I have spent alot of my working life working with long-term unemployed job seekers, running welfare programs,working with community organisations and working with Queensland’s Indigenous communities tocreate sustainable employment opportunities. As I mentioned earlier, I truly believe that there needs tobe a safety net for those who slip through the cracks. I believe that we need to lower the cost living for allQueenslanders. I believe that the disadvantaged in our community need a voice. I want to ensure thatthey do not just have a voice; I want to ensure that they have opportunity. I want to ensure that there isopportunity for everyone who wants to succeed and better their situation in life. Again quoting from hismaiden speech, Rob Akers said—I chose the Liberal Party—

In my case, it is the LNP—because I want each man, woman and child to be able to raise his or her standard of living and, with it, the strength of theeconomy of this country.

Like my predecessor, I firmly believe that part of a government’s role is to create a space for people tosucceed and then to get out of their way while they make it happen. Those priorities and others as wellare the things that I dedicate myself to as the member for Pine Rivers. I am passionate about thiscountry that I live in, I am passionate about the great state of Queensland and I am passionate aboutthe fantastic Pine Rivers region that I represent. This passion shapes the way that I carry out my dutiesin this parliament.

The magnitude of the result achieved in Pine Rivers on 24 March was unexpected, but I think itsends a clear message to all political parties. Residents of Pine Rivers clearly sent a message to theformer Labor government that they were sick of being neglected and sick of not being heard. That theformer Premier would issue a press release on the one-year anniversary of the 2011 floods boastingthat all damaged bridges in Queensland had been reopened when our AJ Wyllie Bridge still sat not onlyin disrepair but also, after 12 months, still without a signed contract for it to be rebuilt epitomised Labor’sneglect of our region, which was so keenly felt by Pine Rivers residents. However, the result was also amessage to myself and the Newman government. It was in no small part a warning that our electedrepresentatives will be harshly dealt with again in the future if we do not serve our community and ourstate, if we do not stand up and fight for the issues that are important in our community and if we do notget our hands dirty and get involved in our community. To the voters of Pine Rivers I say that I haveheard this message loud and clear and I will continue to fight for you and work for you for as long asI am your representative in this parliament.

No-one can make it into this parliament on their own and certainly there are many people whom Ineed to thank. They are people who have walked the journey with me and supported me through goodand bad. Firstly, to my parents, Seath Senior and Ria, thank you for the example that you set for mewhen I was a child and that you continue to set today. Thank you for the opportunities that you gave me,especially during my teenage years, which encouraged me to dream big and not shy away from bigchallenges. Thank you for the values and work ethic that you demonstrated that have shaped my life.Thank you for passing on your Christian faith and values to me. To other members of my extendedfamily, particularly my two sisters, Janelle and Alison, I thank you for the support you have shown to methrough the good times and through the struggles in life. To my good friends and my church family atCity Church Brisbane, thank you for your support, your encouragement and your valuable input into mylife.

To the members of the Pine Rivers branch of the LNP, thank you for placing your trust in me andselecting me as your candidate. Thank you for your support and hard work during the 16 months of ourcampaign. To my campaign manager, Ben Ives, and his wife, Lorraine, thank you for so often pullingthings together when I thought they were about to fall apart. To all my team of amazing volunteers, if itwas not for each and every one of you, for the dozens of kilometres that you each walked deliveringflyers and for the early mornings and rainy Saturdays when you sat on the side of roads with our signs,there is no way that I would be standing here today. I pay particular mention to one couple, Keith andJoan Penman, for the fantastic work they put in to my campaign. They worked tirelessly day and night,pushing themselves to the brink of exhaustion to make sure that the LNP won the seat of Pine Rivers.


To the LNP leadership and headquarters campaign team, thank you for the professionalcampaign that you ran and for the constant support that you gave me during this campaign. To thePremier, I express my sincere thanks for the leadership and vision that you bring to this government andto our state. To the Treasurer and to the Minister for Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services,I thank you both for your guidance, which helped me in the very early stages of my campaign. To mycolleague, neighbour and good friend, the member for Kallangur: the people of Kallangur do not knowhow lucky they are to have you representing them. Thank you for your friendship.

To those former members of this parliament who have served as the member for Pine Rivers and,for a period between redistributions, the member for Kurwongbah, thank you for your efforts in faithfullyserving our community. I make particular mention of the Hon. Yvonne Chapman who served Pine Riversin this parliament from 1983 to 1989 and who was the first female cabinet minister in Queensland and,later, the first and only mayor of the Pine Rivers shire council. Her commitment to our region is aninspiration and to be following in her footsteps is an honour.

To the voters of Pine Rivers: again I say I am truly humbled that you have put your faith in me andI will do everything I can to ensure that I do not let you down. I will be a voice in this parliament, not justfor those who voted for me but for my entire community. Sometimes I will not agree with your point ofview; sometimes you will not agree with mine. But I guarantee that I will always give you a fair hearingno matter what your point of view. You might not always agree with everything I do and every decisionthat is made by our government concerning our electorate, but be assured that I am always working withyour interests in mind and fighting for our electorate.

To my wonderful children, Liam and Jake: to see the way that you put your best into everythingyou do and to see you growing into two fine young boys makes your dad stand tall with pride. It is anhonour to be your daddy.

And, finally, to Elissa, my wonderful, tolerant, understanding wife: it has been an amazing journeyover the past few years. When we met I was a modest IT project manager. You supported meunconditionally when I changed careers and travelled the state working with Indigenous communities.You have stood by me through a long and hard campaign and to have you by my side in life and now asI stand here in this place confirms to me that I am truly the luckiest. I can’t wait for our baby boy to beborn and look forward to the next chapter in our lives together when the newest member of our familyarrives in August. I toyed with the idea of mentioning my preferred choice of baby name here so that itwould be recorded in Hansard and you would have no option but to call him that, but our lounge is notcomfortable enough that I wanted to spend the next two months sleeping on it!

It is an honour to be representing the wonderful electorate of Pine Rivers and it is an honour to bea member of the Newman LNP government. For however long I have the opportunity to serve mycommunity as a member of the parliament of Queensland, I will give my absolute all in serving thepeople of Pine Rivers and in helping to make Pine Rivers the envy of our great state. I pledge myself toserving my electorate and my state faithfully so that we can make Pine Rivers and Queensland an evenbetter place to live. I thank the House.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Berry): Order! Before I call the member for Stafford, I note that this isthe member’s first speech and as such shall be heard in silence. I call the member for Stafford.

Dr DAVIS (Stafford—LNP) (9.12 pm): I rise to pledge my allegiance to the Queen and to thankthe Governor for the direction she has given this government. I also congratulate Madam Speaker onher appointment. I also rise to thank the people of Stafford for the opportunity to be part of this NewmanLNP government, one that has already begun to deliver for the people of Queensland including my veryprecious electorate. A key strength of this government is the quality and diversity of experience inlearning in its members. I look forward to adding my contribution here in this House and, mostimportantly, in service to the people of Stafford.

From my observations it is very clear that the old saying that wishes us health, wealth andhappiness is pivotal to our society and of course the flow-on effects from health are wealth andhappiness. I am very fortunate to have been working in health for many decades as a public hospitaldoctor and to have served my profession and the public through a number of professional bodies.During that time patients and healthcare providers and the wider community have shown that theydeserve and need a good government to achieve good health. The people have now voted and the workhas started.

Acknowledging the importance of health to individuals and the community and how criticaleffective provision of health care is to the wellbeing of governments, I have taken the liberty of focusingmainly on health in this speech. In doing so, I have also noted the many colleagues who havementioned healthcare issues in their speeches. Further relevance can be found in the size of the statehealth budget at around $11 billion, or one-quarter of our expenditure. I must stress that what I will besaying is my view based on lengthy observation and reflection. I am also duty bound to remindeverybody of their right to a second opinion.




Further relevance is that Queensland’s major cardiothoracic hospital, the Prince Charles Hospital,is in my electorate, as is a large private hospital and major aged-care service providers. They are ofcourse also a major source of employment. My focus on health does not in any way reflect a lesserawareness of or commitment to all the other needs of my electorate. I have lived there for 20 years andraised my children and through that process have got to know the needs of the area.

Immediately prior to my election I was also working as the Director of Geriatric Medicine at thePrince Charles Hospital. My clinical role included the management of brain dysfunction contributing toerrors in memory and judgement. I also taught and contributed to research in this field. As such, I cannotavoid being aware of the potential errors we can make in our thinking and conduct and how, aspoliticians, the effort, skill and integrity we apply in our thinking processes have critical implications forthe people we serve and indeed our political longevity.

As mentioned by the honourable health minister earlier today, who I am also honoured to beassisting, the Queensland Health payroll saga is one example of wrong thinking and worse by theQueensland Labor government. This has adversely affected the majority of Queenslanders and nowrequires our cognitive skills to fix. Time does not allow me to detail the multiple inexcusable andavoidable errors of omission and commission that have thus far wasted at least $400 million of hard-earned taxpayer funds so desperately needed for patient care. The failures of that system have alsocaused enormous distress to many Queensland Health staff in my electorate and throughout the state.

But even more serious is another decision by the former Beattie government. Unless satisfactorilyresolved, the damage from that may surpass the payroll debacle by many orders of magnitude andadversely affect many very vulnerable stakeholders for decades ahead. To illustrate this matter, I wish torun through what ought to have been done, the conduct that instead occurred, the consequencesthereof and consideration of potential solutions. I do so because it is a matter that directly affects myelectorate and arguably my broader responsibility, through the Minister for Health, to all Queenslanders.

On 30 September 2005 the final report of the Queensland Health Systems Review, the Forsterreview, was tabled in this parliament. I was pleased to have been an adviser to that report. It was one ofthe responses to the tragic Bundaberg Hospital matter. The expert report was welcomed by both sidesof politics and professional organisations. It called for significant reform in many areas including theplanning of Queensland Health’s capital works. It noted funding pressures caused by poor projectbudget definition, a lack of transparency surrounding decision making for the allocation of capital fundsand failure to receive best value for money. We have seen evidence of all of those failures over thepreceding years. To try to avoid these issues, recommendation 11.4 of the report stated—Queensland Health base all future decisions regarding the location of health facilities on a transparent, patient focused processthat ensures wide community and stakeholder involvement together with relevant advice from technical experts. All decisionsshould be supported by full documentation, to enable independent review and ensure accountability and probity of decisions.

At 4.34 pm on 30 March 2006—a mere six months after these best practice recommendationshad been tabled—the then Labor government completely ignored the recommendation. Instead,following a one-hour session of this House, it resolved to effectively close the Royal Children’s Hospitalby 2014 and relocate its services to a new facility to be built in the then member for South Brisbane’selectorate.

It is an example of political self-interest that fails the public interest test absolutely and, as such, isrecommended, if disturbing, reading. As anticipated in the Forster report, the consequence thus far hasbeen a project cost blow-out estimated to be at least $700 million, so nearly twice that of the payrollsaga, and there are still two years to completion. Even more serious is the high risk that the projectcould well fail in terms of its stated intention to provide world-class paediatric services and may in factresult in women’s and children’s health services in the state being set back for decades. This is not justmy opinion. There is organisational research that shows up to 75 per cent of such interventions failwhen conducted without proper process.

In Madam Speaker’s address to this House she spoke of the establishment of the royal women’shospital followed appropriately by the establishment of the Royal Children’s Hospital. That relationshiptoday remains as essential as it did at its inception. Compliance with the Forster report would haveallowed examination of critical linkages between children, maternal and adult services as well asresearch and teaching activities—linkages that I can say, and my colleagues agree, are vital forretracting and retaining the best paediatric clinicians, researchers and educators to Queensland. Theyare needed for world-class care to in turn inspire and teach current and future colleagues on how todeliver the very best care for children and families, and through their expertise the best value fortaxpayers.

The Hon. Teresa Gambaro MP in her first speech in the House of Representatives as the memberfor Brisbane spoke thus. Unfortunately, many of the clinical and research synergies that currently workto the best advantage of all Queenslanders will be lost because of the short-sighted decision by the thenQueensland government to close the Royal Children’s Hospital. This is a decision which is ‘both hastyand illogical and hardly transparent in my opinion—sadly a process that is all too common for the (thenLabor) Queensland government’. She went on to say, ‘The northern suburbs of Brisbane including


Windsor, Alderley, Gordon Park and Grange are fast-growing areas for families and these are the verysuburbs that will be adversely affected by the loss not only of their dedicated paediatric emergencydepartment but also of 130 years of medical expertise and excellence.’ These are suburbs in myelectorate of Stafford. There have been a number of other critical assessments of this decision includinga paper on this matter that Dr Harry Smith and I published in the Medical Journal of Australia—a peerreviewed journal—and the veracity of the concerns in that article have never to our knowledge beenchallenged.

We need a solution. We will be told by those appointed by the previous government to ensurecarriage of this decision that there is now no option but to proceed. This is the sunk cost error describedby economists. In other words, if you travel some distance down the wrong road, the energy and timealready wasted oblige you to keep going. Another potential error is to assume that a single academicchildren’s hospital for Queensland is better than two. Sydney and Melbourne have made clear decisionsin recent times to have more than one. Indeed, managed competition provides consumers with choiceand avoids the risk of complacency and worse associated with a monopoly. While one hospital might bebetter for a very small number of highly specialised children, for the great majority ready access toquality routine specialist care is arguably more important.

Furthermore, one hospital, I am told, will not provide the capacity for the future let alone thepresent. The proposed emergency department as a substitute at the Prince Charles Hospital makeslittle sense when a world-class one currently exists and is far more appropriately located with all otherservices at Herston, especially in conjunction with maternity services. If we are going to explore private-public partnerships to financially sustain two hospitals, the new building in south Brisbane would seembetter suited to this. If we get this wrong—and I sincerely hope we will not—it will adversely affectpaediatric services throughout Queensland for decades. This matter needs a way forward that bestserves the needs of sick children in Queensland, not one that perpetuates and thereby rewardsappalling self-serving conduct by the Labor Party.

The Forster report goes on to detail numerous other areas of Queensland Health that need tooperate effectively. The necessity to do so becomes greater as the pressures on the system increase.The current exponential funding demands are outstripping state revenue growth by about six per centper annum. In approximately two decades on current projections, public hospital care has the potentialto consume the state’s entire revenue. This requires us to ensure that every available healthcare dollaris used effectively. The information systems needed to guide this are either nonexistent or problematic.

Current and reliable data are needed to ensure patient safety as well as run the business ofhealth in an economic and efficient manner. Data is needed to redirect resources where they are mosteffective and to identify models of care that are in the best interests of patients at a particular point intheir life. Good data will help us guide investment in critical services such as palliative care and mentalhealth. Another vital area is closing the 10-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

In my opinion, the practice of developing information systems in a piecemeal fashion is noteffective. My MBA dissertation was on hospital information systems. Major IT healthcare initiativesshould be developed for Australia-wide use, especially as we move to new national funding models. Thesooner we have a government in Canberra that is free to focus on the national interest rather than self-interest, the sooner we can begin work on such initiatives that will help us get Queensland back ontrack.

Given health’s complexity, it is also very reliant on having well-qualified, high-performing people inkey positions, both clinical and non-clinical. This is the major determinant of whether health will continueto earn the poisoned chalice label. Einstein observed that you do not solve issues using the thinking thatcreated them. We need to ensure that we have people capable of thinking and doing in a way that willresolve rather than perpetuate problems. We certainly can be grateful for the many fine staff we alreadyhave in our health system. Nonperformance and wasted resources concern them as much as thepatients whose reasonable expectations cannot be met.

Whilst one of the most shameful governments in Queensland’s history has left us with hugehealthcare and financial headaches, these must not detract from the necessity to proactively build abetter and brighter Queensland. My leadership positions in professional organisations have contributedto my awareness of how vital a whole lot of factors are to ensuring health and happiness in ourcommunities. Key amongst these is an education that allows people to pursue meaningful andrewarding jobs.

The LNP’s employment target is not only good for the economy but also a significant contributorto one’s health. Together with all-important family input, education also teaches the life skills to care forothers in an increasingly complex world. This requires support for teachers, parents and schools. TheStafford electorate has fine state and Catholic schools, and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to workwith them in their essential role.

The role of sport and recreation with its health and team-building benefits has been mentioned byothers. The electorate of Stafford is very fortunate to have a large number of sporting and recreational


clubs with inspired leadership and talented members. We are also blessed with many places of worship,with inspiring spiritual leaders and their congregations.

During my campaigning I met many hardworking business proprietors and their staff. Theresponsibility to ensure that their investment and hard work are rewarded is another area of myresponsibility. My MBA and experience as a company director are relevant in understanding the needfor this government to lower input and compliance costs for these vital small and medium sizebusinesses.

The manner in which the Airport Link project in my electorate was set up and run is somethingthat I would never have allowed on my watch. To have subjected residents to sleep deprivation andother stresses is unnecessary and unacceptable. The newspapers continue to carry accounts of issuessuch as secondary damage to council roads where no provision appears to have been made to remedythat. Putting that obligation on to local government and ratepayers is yet another example of how Laborfailed the people of Stafford.

I express my gratitude to everyone who has made it possible for me to put forward my views inthis House. Starting with my parents, I am aware that they had to deal with their firstborn contractinginfantile paralysis, also known as polio. I spent many months in hospital and they spent untold hoursvisiting me. Their incredible ongoing support, love and encouragement greatly contributed to myprogress through life, as has that of my siblings. The fantastic care I received as a young child fromnurses, doctors and physiotherapists greatly influenced my decision to do medicine and serve as apublic hospital doctor.

My ability to secure a scholarship to do medicine was due to a wonderful education, and I haveenduring gratitude and admiration for my teachers. In medical practice I have derived enormous benefitfrom my many mentors and colleagues. I particularly wish to thank Dr Zelle Hodge for being a trulyinspiring and valued mentor. I could spend my entire speech thanking the team at Prince CharlesHospital for all they do. I also thank the many patients and families who have inspired me, the olderQueenslanders who have shared their wisdom with me and especially the war veterans whose sacrificeand hardships in fighting for our freedom guide me when I find myself lacking in courage anddetermination.

The LNP is a great team within and beyond this House. Fighting for change is not easy, but wealways found the energy for it thanks to our united belief that the electorate needed and deserved better.I was truly amazed and humbled by the wonderful people who helped me on the campaign. I cannotmention them all but to all I give my sincere thanks—particularly my campaign director, Ms SusanMacdonald, for her clear thinking, composure and hard work; deputy Justin Lynch and his wife,Elizabeth; secretary Darryl Dobson; and treasurer Rod Anderson. The magnificent contribution ofMrs Marie McCullagh and Mrs Joan Stomfai were pivotal to success in Stafford.

Others have mentioned the professionalism of the LNP party and HQ team, and I totally concurwith that. Their skill in using just the right balance of carrots and sticks was very effective. Special thanksgo to the Premier and his wonderful family for crossing our mutual border as often as they did andespecially for their magnificent ongoing leadership.

My thanks also go to federal and local government members for all of their help. The honourablemember for Caloundra, now Minister for Energy and Water Supply, has been a good friend and mentorover many years. I congratulate him on his elevation and thank him. My thanks also go to his formeradviser, Mr Francis Quinlivan.

The people of Stafford whom I met in the process greatly strengthened my determination to fightfor the right to serve them. I thank them very deeply for their support and kindness, both prior to andsubsequent to the election.

My wife, Dr Katharine Sinclair, constantly inspires me with her dedication to her patients as apublic hospital doctor. My only complaint is that she has worked out all my faults. She is a tower ofstrength in every way imaginable, supplemented by her knowledge of good political conduct throughobserving her father, the late Sir George Sinclair, during his 15 years in the British House of Commons.

This government as assembled by the LNP and voted in by the people of Queensland provides aunique opportunity to now govern this state with great ability, integrity and wisdom, guided by a unity ofpurpose that is the public interest. The work has begun and I greatly value the opportunity to play mypart serving the people of Stafford.

Mrs CUNNINGHAM (Gladstone—Ind) (9.32 pm): I rise to speak in this address-in-reply and atthe outset congratulate the Speaker, the member for Maroochydore, on her elevation to that position. Iwould also like to put on the record my appreciation to all of the new members for passing on, in manyinstances, very personal insights in their address-in-reply speeches.

It continues to be a privilege to be the member for Gladstone. This is my seventh term. Eachelection does not get easier; it gets more challenging. I am very appreciative of the electors ofGladstone. Prior to my election in 1995 the seat was held by Labor for 60 years, and I think it shows that





no party has a proprietary claim on a seat. It is the community’s role, right and prerogative to choosetheir representative, and it is the responsibility of that representative to work as hard as they can for thatcommunity. Each day we need to take that on board.

I would like to thank everyone in Gladstone for the opportunity to work with and for them. At theelection there were five candidates: a Greens candidate whom we never saw at all; a Katter candidate,Tony Beezley, who is well known in the community as he lived there some years ago; the LNPcandidate, Russell Schroter, who was a delight to work with; and the ALP candidate, Glenn Butcher. Inmost elections it is the ALP candidate who is the most aggressive. Can I say that Glenn was very even-handed and an easy person to go to, particularly for the electoral visitor voting and the institutionalvoting. So thank you, Glenn.

I would like to thank our marvellous community. We have a vibrant community, although it isstressed at the moment because of the construction that is occurring. We have an army of volunteerswho help with youth, with adults and in aged care. We have workers right across the community, bothpaid and unpaid. Without them, the community of Gladstone—and I believe the community ofAustralia—would implode. We thank you for your selflessness and we thank you for your compassion.We have volunteers in the SES, St John’s, Meals on Wheels, the Gladstone Aquatic TherapyAssociation, the Red Cross, Evenglow, special interest groups, sporting groups and cultural groups.They all add vibrancy to the fabric of our community. You strengthen our community on a daily basis.

I think of groups like country racing, the Calliope Jockey Club and the Gladstone Turf Club thatwere so seriously let down by the previous government. Country racing has been undermined at everyopportunity, and I look forward to working with the new racing minister to rebuild that strength in ruraland regional Queensland.

We have a wonderful Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community represented by a number ofelders. Julie Ingra is one, but most regularly we see Jackie Johnson. Jackie is a woman of faith; she is avery articulate Aboriginal woman, and it is always a privilege to be at functions where she speaks. Irecognise our First Australians and the contribution they have made to our nation. We also have a hugeamount of cultural diversity. We have people from different cultures who have come to Gladstone towork. Some have strong English; others have not-so-strong English. You add so much to the tapestry ofour community and we thank you for your input.

I wish to raise a number of electorate issues. There will probably be a few groans from thosemembers who have been here for a little while because a number of these issues are repetitive and theyare yet to be addressed appropriately. We are a community. As was said so often in the last term, theLNG industry in Gladstone will be a significant economic boost to the Queensland and nationaleconomy, but with that industrial development comes a responsibility by the government to ensure thatthe community is able to meet the challenge. Our community has not been able to do that, and the mostvulnerable have paid the greatest price.

We have seen this in the area of affordable housing, and I have raised this already with the newgovernment. Prior to being elected as Premier Campbell Newman came to Gladstone, and I thank himfor his visit. He saw the growth pressures that were occurring. Areas that 10 or 15 years ago had nohomes are now fully constructed. Families on modest incomes cannot afford to stay in Gladstone. Manypositions at the supermarket, at the hospital, at the fire station or at the police station cannot be filledbecause those workers cannot afford the cost of living in the electorate of Gladstone.

The previous government talked about the ULDA being the panacea for affordable housing.There are ULDA developments at Clinton, Toolooa and Tannum—Clinton is well and truly out of theground—but those homes are for people who can afford to get into the home-purchasing market. Theydo not address the needs of those who cannot afford to rent. Our rents now are $650 to $700 a week,and that is for a very modest dwelling. I thank the Minister for Housing, the Hon. Bruce Flegg, for hiscomments today and previously in relation to this government’s commitment to affordable housing.

Another great issue in my community that has come and gone since 1995 is the GladstoneHospital. In 1995 the hospital leaked when it rained. The incoming coalition government made greatstrides in 1996, 1997 and 1998 to fix those problems, but over the succeeding years the maintenanceon the hospital deteriorated, as did staff recruitment and retention. The community of Gladstone nowfeels very much undermined by the previous government and disappointed for themselves and for thosepeople who work at the hospital.

We have had a succession of medical superintendents. For over 20 years Ian Mottarelly was thesuperintendent, but some years ago he left. He is actually working in another hospital but away fromGladstone. We had a succession of locum superintendents and one or two permanents. Locums do notstay because they feel that they are not valued and they are not able to have meaningful input intoservice provision. If they cannot do that, they feel castigated and they feel that they cannot have apositive impact and they leave. Indeed, our most recent appointment from New Zealand has resignedand will move on in August.


It is not only the hospital that suffers. It is not only the services that suffer. It is not only everysingle person who works at the hospital who feels undervalued and unworthy. It is everybody in thecommunity. We do not need locum services; we need full-time appointed doctors, specialists and staffwho are valued, who are able to use their skill sets and who can remain and build services. I have hadsome discussions with the Minister for Health, Lawrence Springborg, and I have thanked him publicly inmy electorate for the way forward that this government has identified. We need additional specialistservices. We need a secured mental health ward. We need proper birthing facilities and things likeorthopaedics and ear, nose and throat specialties—specialties that were there. The hospital had an ICU.The previous ALP minister said that we never had an ICU. I know an intensive care nurse who will arguethe point, and I would not mix it with Cindy. She worked at the ICU. We certainly had one, but it wasdowngraded to a high-dependency unit. Gladstone has heavy industrial development, a populationgrowth that is second to none in the state and a significant risk profile in those industries. Thankfully wehave not had any major incidents, but if there were to be—and please God I am not asking for any—theGladstone Hospital would be a triage centre and that is all. The people of Gladstone deserve better.

The transport minister, the Hon. Scott Emerson, visited my electorate last week. I did not get achance to speak to Scott, but I am sure from his comments that he appreciates the pressure on our roadnetwork. There are three major pressure points: the Kin Kora roundabout, and members from the lastparliament know about the Kin Kora roundabout; the Calliope crossroads which is federally funded andis being funded, however the work for that to occur will be an 18-month time line; and Port Curtis Way.They are the major pressure points, particularly the Kin Kora roundabout, which is the Dawson Highwayand Philip Street intersection, and Port Curtis Way, where most of the industrial traffic traverses. Theyneed an injection of funds and I look forward to discussions in the near future with the minister in relationto that.

I want to thank Minister Mark McArdle for his concern in relation to the lack of funding by AJLucas for contractors on Curtis Island. As I said last night, approximately 90 families will bedisadvantaged and are being disadvantaged because that company will not pay its obligations to itssubcontractors. I want to thank the minister for his concern and involvement.

The third pillar, if you like, of the election campaign for me—together with the hospital andhousing—was the harbour. Many people feel disadvantaged by the level of development in the harbourand the potential impact it will have on not only commercial fishing but also recreational fishing. Over 12months ago it was recognised by the Gladstone Ports Corporation that dredging would have an impacton commercial fishing. Indeed, it was identified that commercial fishing grounds would be lost and thatthose fishers would need to be compensated. They have not seen any of that money. I have spoken tothe current Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and, whilst I accept that he feels constrained by thecourt case that is on foot at the moment, the fact is that the impact on some of these fishing families wasrecognised and could be dealt with separate to the court case. These are families who, in manyinstances, have spent their entire lives fishing for a living. They are second and third generation fishers.They do not know anything else. They know how to catch a pretty good prawn, crab and fish. They needto be dealt with with compassion, with care and to see some compensation. Those families aresuffering. I also want to acknowledge the early visit after the election by Minister Andrew Powell, theMinister for Environment, and I know the council appreciated that early visit to the electorate whenenvironmental matters are so very raw.

I also want to put on the record my appreciation of our emergency services personnel—ourpolice, our Water Police, our firefighters, our SES, our ambulance and all of those emergency servicessectors. The Water Police are desperately in need of a building. In the very near future shipping will becoming directly from overseas where Customs and Water Police activity will be critically important forthe security of the port and indeed the state. The land has been secured with the cooperation of theGladstone Ports Corporation and it has been identified that $2.3 million is required to provide a buildingfor those activities. Currently, its equipment is in two or three different places and a timely response toan emergency situation would not occur.

The electorate needs around 30 additional police officers. There are going to be up to 12,000workers on Curtis Island. When they are off shift many of those will be free to come to Gladstone forrecreational purposes on a Saturday afternoon and return to the island on Sunday. I am not imputingbad behaviour on any of them, but a significant increase in the population of that magnitude is going torequire an additional police presence. With regard to our emergency services firefighters, there is anentire crew that lives at Rockhampton. They cannot afford the rent in Gladstone, so if there was asignificant event in Gladstone it would be at least an hour and a quarter for them to attend. This is notideal and it highlights that affordable housing is not just an issue for those on very modest incomes; it isan issue for those who are on moderate incomes as well. There are plans for a refurbished ambulancestation in Tank Street and there needs to be new planning or future planning for a centre in the KirkwoodRoad area. That sounds like one giant moan, and I do not mean it to be. We have a vibrant communityand a very positive community, but it needs to know that the government is supporting it as it acceptsand manages the impact of significant industrial development. All it has ever asked for is a fair go.


In the last few minutes I want to thank those who were involved in the election campaign. Likeothers, I want to thank everyone who took part on polling day—those who manned the booths or‘womaned’ the booths, those who handed out how-to-vote cards and were my representatives. I valueeach and every one of you. With regard to the many weeks of prepolling, we have generally only had acouple of weeks of prepolling because the election campaigns have been a bit short. This one was amatter of weeks and I want to thank those who helped in the prepolling. Special thanks goes to ahandful of ladies who help each election. I thank Wendy for her rostering. She is a roster guru. She hasworked with me—she has only just ceased working—for 15 years. I value you greatly. Jill, you were amonster with the prepoll rosters. I value you greatly. Trish, I thank you for your compassion and care. Ialso thank Floss, who has worked in my office for 10 years, who also was involved in the election. Thankyou very much. Floss has moved on too. She got tired of driving into Gladstone.

I want to put on the record my appreciation to my mum and my brother. This is the soppy part!Dad passed away 10 years ago, but he was always a great supporter of mine and I thank him for thatsupport. Mum is 90 now so she is not actively supportive, but she certainly lets me know if I am on thewrong track. To my brother, thank you. He offers on a regular basis to be my minder and the firm voiceof authority for anyone who wants to speak unkindly to me or about me. Thanks, Rich, but I do not needthat kind of help. I really thank God for my family. We have three beautiful daughters—Wendy, Rebeccaand Emma—and I want to thank them for their unfailing support. To our sons-in-law Dave, Owen andGavin, thank you for your acceptance into our family. We are different. We are interesting. We arealways unpredictable and somewhat eccentric, but we love each of you.

To our beautiful grandies—and those of you here might get to see my grand kids; it is a realtreat—to Blake who tells jokes really, really well, thank you for the beautiful marbles. Blue is grammie’sfavourite colour. To Grace, who is safely in Jesus hands, and to Isabelle, a little miracle who thinksParliament House is grammie’s castle—do not tell her any different; not yet. She is too little to know, butshe will eventually wake up to it. To Giaan, whose smile lights up the room, thank you for yourunquestioning love. You make each day. You give each day new meaning. Finally, to my husband, John,your support over 17 years in this particular position has been unquestioning. Thank you for your callsfrom home at one or two in the morning just to check that everything is okay and that I was not actuallyburied under the paperwork. In a fortnight’s time we have been married for 36 years. I do not knowwhich one of us needs a medal, but one of us does. I appreciate you and I just need you to rememberthat when I come home from a week in parliament the minute I walk in the door we do not need todebate the week’s business. An hour or so’s break is really good. Thank you for keeping me grounded. Iunderstand that your idea of dressing up means wearing the baggy shorts that do not have paint residueon them, but sometimes you have to go the longs and the shirt and the tie.

Not one of us in this chamber, privileged as we are, would be able to survive without our partner’ssupport. I say that to all of you. Without your partner’s support, you will not survive because thepressures of work and of family tension would be just too much. Value your partner and value yourfamily. Whilst all of us want to have good work-life balance, I have not been able to achieve it yet, sadly.Appreciate your partner and your family. I certainly appreciate John.

Again, to all in the electorate, thank you. I made one promise in the election campaign and thatwas a promise that I could keep: to work for you and represent you to the best of my abilities. That is thepromise I could make. That is the one that I have influence over and that is the one I continue to offer.Thank you one and all for the privilege of being your member for the forthcoming three years. I trust thatwe can make a difference.

Hon. BS FLEGG (Moggill—LNP) (Minister for Housing and Public Works) (9.52 pm): I amdelighted to speak and acknowledge Her Excellency the Governor and her opening speech toparliament.

A government member interjected. Dr FLEGG:I am not taking those interjections.Mr Newman interjected. Dr FLEGG: I will take the Premier’s in that case. The election on 24 March 2012 was a

momentous occasion and an expression of democracy by the people of Queensland. They swept asidea tired, ramshackle government that no longer deserved their trust or deserved to be put in office andthey put their trust in a Newman LNP government to fix the mess that was left behind by the previousadministration. Perhaps the less I say about the Labor Party in this speech, the better. I take greatpleasure in that their filthy campaign was so roundly rejected by the electors of Queensland, becausehad that sort of campaign received any sort of endorsement, encouragement or succour from the peopleof Queensland it would have become the norm. The people of Queensland rejected it. They do not everwant to see it again. I hope that those opposite picked up that lesson. The people of Queenslandshowed that they would never support a government that was so out of touch that it decided to tax thefamily home at the same rate it taxes a negatively geared investment property, or a government thatwas prepared to waste billions of dollars on so many things, whether it was the Health payroll, theTraveston Dam or a dozen other travesties. The people of Queensland passed their judgement.




I want to pass on my congratulations to my 51 new LNP colleagues here. I have sat and listenedto many of their maiden speeches. As politicians, we get a bit of bad press occasionally. I have to saythat we have the most impressive people here I have seen—people who are passionate to make adifference, people who have come from every walk of life and who have life experience.Overwhelmingly, what really stands out to me is that they are people from and representative of theircommunity. When we see these sorts of people being chosen to represent their communities, I think thepeople of Queensland can have confidence that their parliament is in good hands going forward into thefuture.

I would like to place on record my very sincere thanks to our now Premier, Campbell Newman,and his lovely wife, Lisa, who took a very big step that very few people are prepared to do in steppingaway from the comfort of a very important job in the city of Brisbane because he had a bigger vision tomake a bigger difference for a bigger community of people right across Queensland. I think everyonehere in the LNP understands the debt that we owe to Campbell and Lisa. I would record also my sincerethanks that Campbell has put his trust in me to be appointed to his ministry to the portfolio of Housingand Public Works—something that is very exciting for me—where I will be able to make a difference inthe lives of many Queenslanders, particularly Queenslanders who suffer disadvantage.

I want to record my thanks to the people of Moggill. This is my forth term that the people ofMoggill have been good enough to privilege me with, and on each occasion with an increased majority.It is a wonderful part of the state of Brisbane—

Mr Stevens: Not as much as Mermaid Beach.Mr Elmes interjected. Dr FLEGG: I take that interjection from the member for Mermaid Beach and the member for

Noosa. No more interjections, please. Moggill is a wonderful part of Queensland. It is a wonderful placeto live. It is a community that pulls together and cares about other people.

In all my glowing praise of our wonderful new members, I am going to take issue with one of thenew members. He has made his maiden speech so he is fair game. The member for Beaudesert madesome comments that I have to refute in relation to the Brookfield Show. Brookfield is an absolutelywonderful community. It has the best show in Queensland. I know that Beaudesert is a fabulous place.

A government member interjected. Dr FLEGG: They made a very good choice to elect my friend there as their member. However,

we can beat him with the Brookfield Show. We can beat you there. Mr Hopper: Never been to Bell. Dr FLEGG: Seriously now, there are many things that need the urgent attention of the new LNP

government, but a number of things stand out. One of those is that we have a big job and a duty to thepeople of Queensland to restore some faith in the government. After years of a government that ignoredpeople, that did not honour its word to people, that failed the Queensland community so roundly, wehave a very serious responsibility to restore some faith and trust back in the parliament. We have anenormous task ahead of us in managing one of the worst debt situations that a state government hasfound itself in in living memory.

Mr Nicholls: Ever. Dr FLEGG: I will take that interjection. It is one of the worst debt situations a state government

has ever found itself in. I think Queenslanders are smart people. They will not be taken for granted. Theycertainly will not be told things that are not true. But they understand that this government will need tomake some hard decisions. The circumstances dictate that and I believe that they will roundly supportus for that.

One of the roles of this government, and a critical role it is, is to restore some confidence in thisstate. One of the things that has driven our economy, employment activity, housing activity and retailactivity so low is the complete loss of confidence that people have had. It is reflected in a dozenconsumer and business confidence figures. Confidence is a very important ingredient to the success ofa community and a state. This government cannot afford to simply curl up in a ball and say, ‘We arebroke. We are not going to do anything.’ We certainly will not have any money to throw around, but thereare many ways that we can run this state and achieve things and engender some of that confidence. Iwill take this opportunity to acknowledge the Treasurer and the Deputy Premier who, in their respectiveroles, will have a critical role, perhaps in many ways the pivotal role, in turning around the confidence inthis state. They have the very strong support of everybody on this side of parliament and a strongrespect for the job that we know is a challenging job but that we know they will be the equal of.

I want to mention some of the issues that confront my constituents in Moggill, as I believeeverybody here in this address-in-reply will do on behalf of their constituents. The stand-out issue thateffects the lives of my community are transport issues. My friend and electoral neighbour, ScottEmerson, will no doubt be hearing from me. He has already got a file full of my letters. On Moggill Road,


which has now been neglected for decades, motorists travel with the worst commute in Brisbane in amorning peak hour where frequently the speed is walking speed. That is not an exaggeration.

Mr Stevens interjected.Dr FLEGG: I take the interjection from the member for Mermaid Beach. Every single cyclist rides

past the cars on Moggill Road. Mr Newman interjected. Dr FLEGG: I will take the interjection from the Premier. We would love a bridge at Colleges

Crossing. That was the next point in the speech, actually. Mr Nicholls interjected.Dr FLEGG: We are not taking that interjection from the Treasurer. The circumstances of transport

from this very large community in western Brisbane are circumstances that nobody anywhere inQueensland should be expected to tolerate. There are other important issues that I would like to assurethe people of Moggill are of great concern. One is the future prospect of the plans of the University ofQueensland for their large property at Pinjarra Hills, which may in many respects dictate what sort offuture development occurs in our area. The Premier has already allowed me the opportunity to mentionColleges Crossing, the state of public transport and the fact that we have a situation in education whereKenmore State High School is at 100 per cent of capacity, is expecting another 350 to 400 students in2015 and has excluded from its catchment large areas even very nearby areas like Mount Crosby,Karana Downs and Chapel Hill.

I have already written to the new transport minister seeking the release of the Kenmore bypasscommunity consultation. This was a community consultation that thousands of local people respondedto. It was conducted in 2009 by the previous government and then they refused to release this study tothe people of Moggill. This sort of arrogant refusal perhaps says it all about the Labor Party: to have acommunity consultation and then three years on still deny them the right to even see the result of thatconsultation. I left a very successful career some years ago to take up my current career because Iwanted to make a difference. After years in opposition it is now very exciting to be able to work towardsinfluencing the future direction of our state.

Mr Nicholls interjected.Dr FLEGG: I take that interjection from the Treasurer who I know feels exactly the same way.

Exciting is the right word, maybe challenging as well. The responsibilities that I have—and that I amabsolutely delighted to be pursuing—are to fix up the shambles that is denying so many thousands ofQueenslanders access to social and public housing, to ensure that agencies—and there are many,many agencies in this department—like the BSA perform to the very best that they can in protectingconsumers, and to take charge of redeveloping the government administrative precinct andadministrative arrangements so that we stop wasting money and provide good working facilities for ourpublic sector workers.

Finally I would like to make a few personal thanks—certainly to my family. My four sons are allgraduating in the school of life and making their own way. Like the children of many people in thischamber, they have gone overseas for work or for education. They are independent, they are not alwayson the phone every day to their father, but if they are listening it is time to give me a ring. They are awonderful family who I am very, very proud of. I want to thank the LNP campaign team in Moggill, mycampaign director Leigh and her husband Chris Warren. I want to thank Fraser and Joyce Stephen whosupported me personally and in a campaign sense. Fraser, of course, is now performing even greaterservice to me as my chief of staff. I could not have done what we have done without the assistance ofSusie Heath, Susie Bourke and Darryl, and I thank them. Councillor Margaret de Wit and her husbandHank and councillor Julian Simmonds and Maddie have also been wonderful supports and arewonderful representatives out in the western suburbs of Brisbane. Mr Graeme Hallett who is lookingafter my media needs left a very comfortable position in the Premier’s office in Western Australia tocome over and work in Housing and Public Works here. I really appreciate the trust that he has put inme to be prepared to make that move. My ministerial staff, Geoff, Julie, Julie, Sue, Kate, Marty—it is awonderful office and it is wonderful as a minister to know that I can depend on people. I thank Mr BarryArneson, who assisted prior to the election over a long period of time preparing policy, and two of ourelder statesmen in the LNP, Mr Bruce McIver and Mr Barry O’Sullivan. I guess if Bruce and Barry werehere I would say to them, ‘Well, you can’t please everybody all the time,’ but I am pretty well sure Bruceand Barry have already learnt that. But they also live by something that is particularly important—youmay not be able to please everybody all the time, but you need to be true to what you believe yourself,and Bruce and Barry have done that in showing a lot of leadership and inspiration for the LNP.

I pass on my congratulations to two very special people. The first is Madam Speaker, who is notpresent in the chamber. For many years I have sat in a party room with Fiona. I am very proud to seeher as the first female Speaker in this place. Indeed, I am very proud to see her as Speaker. Mr DeputySpeaker, I ask you to pass on my congratulations. Another person of who the parliament and I are veryproud—he is sitting in front of me—is the Leader of the House, the member for Mermaid Beach.


Mr Stevens: Manager of Government Business.Dr FLEGG: He is the Manager of Government Business. There is a bit of a secret: he can be a bit

of a pain in the backside sometimes! We are very pleased to see him elevated to this position, which hiswork over the years more than justifies.

There are many people here with whom I have sat in opposition for quite a number of years andmany of them have become very good friends. Some of my friends have been christened the ‘red poetssociety’. It is an anonymous society, so I shall not name them here. A couple of them are sittingextremely close and a couple have just walked out because they got a whiff that I was going to mentionthem. They say that if you want a friend in politics you should get a dog. Although that is probably notbad advice, it is not entirely true. Opposition is a very tough place to be. We were not doing what we leftour careers and gave up time with our family to do, but I say to those on the opposite side of the Housethat still we were fulfilling a very important role for the people of Queensland. Over the years I have satin the party room with many members who are here tonight. They are wonderful people and I am veryprivileged to be here with so many of them now.

Mr MALONE (Mirani—LNP) (10.11 pm): Firstly, I congratulate the new Speaker of the House.Mr Deputy Speaker, I ask you to pass on my congratulations to the first woman Speaker appointed tothe parliament of Queensland. I also congratulate her for the way in which she is running the House. Ithank my wife, Mary, my two daughters, Anne and Michelle, and my five grandsons. In the big circle oflife, my eldest grandson is 25 years old this year.

I am very pleased and proud to be sitting on this side of the House amongst 51 LNP members.For 18 years I have been waiting for this very result and it has come in droves. Of my 18 years in thisplace, for 16 years I was a shadow minister and wrote policies for disability services, emergencyservices and just about everything in between. Tonight I am very humbled to stand before the Houseand congratulate every one of the new LNP members, the two new members of the Labor Party andRob Katter for Katter’s Australian Party. We are a club of 89. We are very privileged to be in this placeand we should all reflect on that. This is a club of 89. From in excess of 30,000 people, we 89 receivedthe keys to the door to this parliament. We should all reflect on the fact that we are very privileged to bein this position. We have a huge role to play in making Queensland better. I am very heartened by thefact that such a group of people sits in this place.

I reflect on the words of Dr Bruce Flegg that the people we have in the parliament now come fromdifferent walks of life and have different sorts of experiences. They will bring a diversity of opinion andexpertise to the parliament that we have never seen before. Reflecting on the 20 years of the previousgovernment, I think that was one of its downfalls. Basically, for the past 20 years most of the members ofthe previous government had no real grounding in the intricacies of running a business, filling out BASforms, employing people, paying taxes et cetera. I am heartened by the fact that I see before andaround me people who have done such things. They have taken the kicks that inevitably we all get inlife. I am sure that the decisions we make over the next three years will set Queensland on a verysteady track, although that is a huge challenge for us all.

This is the eighth time I have taken the oath of office. I have been re-elected seven times. As Imentioned earlier, this is my 18th year in the parliament and I am very proud to be standing here. At theelection before last I won with a majority of 350 votes, and the decision was not made until 10 days afterthe election. Indeed, on election night Barnaby Joyce, with all his expertise, indicated that Ted Malonewould never be a part of the 51st Parliament. Fortunately for me, the counting went my way and, with350 votes, I won the seat. The CFMEU, which supported the Labor candidate, declared that it had spentsomething like $150,000 on that campaign, but I believe it was more like $250,000. In the recentcampaign the CFMEU supported the previous member for Fitzroy, Jim Pearce. When they finallycalculate what they put into the last campaign to try to shift me out of the seat of Mirani, I estimate that itwill be in the vicinity of $400,000 to $500,000. Unfortunately, as was the situation with CampbellNewman, in my case they went for personal attacks. They attacked me and my family very severely onradio and TV. I think that went against them severely. At the end of the day, I had a very significant winof 60 per cent on a two-party preferred vote in the seat of Mirani. I am very pleased about that.

Mirani is an interesting electorate. My electorate borders Mackay, Whitsunday, Burdekin,Dalrymple, Gregory, Callide and Gladstone and it goes around Keppel and Rockhampton. I havesomething like 450 kilometres of the Bruce Highway and 200 kilometres of the Peak Downs Highway.The electorate stretches from the outer Barrier Reef near Swains Reef across almost to Clermont, andfrom Mackay to Curtis Island—just near my neighbour in the electorate of Gladstone. While on thissubject, I congratulate my great friend Jason Costigan, who was claiming Eungella as part of theelectorate of Whitsunday. Mate, Eungella is mine! Jason did a great job, as did John Kerslake, whocame very close to eliminating my friend across the chamber Tim Mulherin, who won by about 250votes. We have Tim back in the House, but John Kerslake came very close to winning the seat ofMackay.

My electorate is quite large. I believe that when they were deciding where Mirani was to be, theystarted in the Torres Strait and went to the border between Queensland and New South Wales, then





they got to the middle and said, ‘Holy hell, what do we have?,’ and they gave it to me. I am very proud torepresent the electorate. It has what is almost the biggest coal port in the world at Hay Point. It includesquite a significant amount of the Bowen Basin coalfields. There are some great cane farms and cattleproperties throughout the electorate. I am proud to say that both my daughters and one of mygrandsons run cane farms, including my farm.

We have much work to do. We have a four-pillar fight-back plan with agriculture, tourism,infrastructure and resources. We have an $85 billion debt to try to eliminate. When we have to pay$4.5 billion each day before we turn a shovel of dirt, it is very difficult. I see the Treasurer looking at meintently and wondering what I will ask for next. I just need a couple of schools, Mr Treasurer, and a fewother things.

Mr Hopper: Here’s your chance, Ted. Mr MALONE: I am not taking interjections, even though there is a bit of noise up the back. I should probably reiterate some of the failures that have put us in this situation. I do not need to

go over the payroll fiasco and the failure in health overall. There were failings in agriculture, which I willtalk about a little later, and in fisheries; the Traveston Dam debacle; the localgovernment amalgamations; the increasing cost of electricity and the increased cost of vehicleregistrations.

WorkCover is a big issue that has got totally out of hand. We have to sort it out fairly quickly.Today a constituent of mine rang me to say that one of his employees had picked up a pallet while usinga forklift and got a nail in his hand. Today he was given a cheque for $500,000, although it was not at alla bad injury. There are about four or five guys lining up behind him, trying to claim the same sort ofpayout. That has to be sorted out pretty quickly.

The attitude of Labor unfortunately over the 18 years that I have been in this parliament was tomake it more and more difficult for small business, for farmers, for graziers to actually run a business. Itwas more about compliance than support. When I was establishing my farms and I went to thedepartment, the first thing they would ask me was: ‘Can we help you? Can we do something for you?Can we help what you are trying to do? We will bring up your map and we will have a look at what youneed to do.’ If you had been to the department in the last 10 or 15 years, the first thing they would haveasked for would be either your credit card or your chequebook and from then on it would have been afight. We have to go back to the established methods—methods that were established over manyyears—and make sure that our departments are working for our people. They are not there to beconfrontational but to help and to sort out all the problems that we have. Small business people aresustaining our environment and sustaining our business. It is about changing this whole attitude that hastrickled down through 20 years of Labor. We need to sort that out.

I probably should not talk too much about the issues of farming or grazing or anything else thathas to do with the land, but I have to say that I support some of the comments that have been made inthis parliament in the last two days. Farmers and graziers have been soft targets for the extreme greensin the Labor government. We were privy to that when the first piece of legislation on the Notice Paperafter the election before last, when Labor needed the Green votes, was about the impost of vegetationmanagement. Debate was gagged and it was pushed through the parliament. The moratorium onclearing regrowth in the brigalow areas made no sense whatsoever.

There is a bit of history to the brigalow areas. Many a block was selected in the brigalow areasand one of the conditions that was written on the piece of paper that said you actually got the ballot wasthat you had to clear the brigalow. When you drive down the Fitzroy Development Road and look at theproperties—magnificent properties—that have been developed, I know of many families who went outthere. A lot of times a wife and husband went out there in a caravan, built a shed, carted their own water,developed the property, blade ploughed it, put pasture in and brought their kids up on those properties.Then to be told by the former government that they could not clear the regrowth that inevitably comes upin that beautiful pasture country was just a kick in the guts to those people who had spent a lifetimedeveloping those properties and it was for no good reason whatsoever except to satisfy the greenmovement. That was an absolute disgrace and it got worse from there. As I said, the LNP government,this group of members we have now—51 new members in the Queensland parliament—has a huge jobto do in turning this all around.

We need to look at the issues to do with some of the infrastructure projects. The Connors RiverDam, for instance, sits on the range above my farm at Koumala. It is designated and SunWater isdeveloping it. They are going to build it to a capacity of 330,000 megalitres. If it were built to the properextreme, it would have a capacity of 1.6 million megalitres. That could essentially be used to irrigate allthe way down the Isaac River into those magnificent Isaac Plains, and it would even have a mitigatingeffect on the floods that come down the Fitzroy River. Indeed, if it were taken to the extreme, it could bedropped over the Connors Range down on to the Waverley Plains and St Lawrence. Quite frankly, itcould almost be another Burdekin on the eastern side of the Connors Range. Indeed, with the 2,000- to3,000-feet fall down the Connors Range, it could almost supply electricity to that whole region.


We have to think outside the square. We have to think about where we are going to be in 50 and100 years time. We are not here for today; we are here for our grandkids and our great grandkids. Thereis an essential motivation for all of us, and me in particular, to make sure that we put in placeinfrastructure that will see us well into the next century and beyond. The Nathan Dam—and the DeputyPremier is in the parliament tonight—is one of his lifelines I guess and Urannah Dam is another one.

Gas pipelines are another issue. We are putting in place 1.2-metre gas pipelines all over CentralQueensland. If we think into the future, those gas pipelines will be redundant in probably 40 to 50 yearstime. There is probably an opportunity, if we think outside the square, for those pipelines to carry water.They could carry water from the Nathan Dam or the Connors River Dam back into the flood plains ofCentral Queensland. Maybe that is an opportunity. I am not sure. But it is certainly something that needsto be looked at.

When I talk about the boundaries of my electorate, I have a great community called MountMorgan. There is a mine site there that was one of the biggest gold mines in Queensland. Unfortunately,it is a mine site that needs rehabilitation. There is probably $800 million to $1 billion worth of gold still inthe stockpiles. There is an opportunity to think outside the square. Instead of it costing us $5 million ayear just to maintain that mine site, we should be offering a company the opportunity to go in there toextract the gold and clean up the site. We have to think outside the square. We have to think where ourgrandkids are going to be in 100 years time. We can spend $5 million a year from now until 2050 or2080 and still not have that site cleaned up.

One of the big issues we have in our communities is juvenile crime. There are 150,000 peopleunemployed in Queensland. It was a big issue for me when I was a shadow minister that unfortunatelyapprenticeships in Queensland have actually dropped over the last four years. We are training fewerapprentices in Queensland than we did four years ago. That is a real indictment on the previousgovernment and it is about time we realised that we have to train our young people. We have to getthose kids from year 5 and put them through classes where they will learn skills using their hands, skillsthat relate to the industry that is available for them in Queensland.

We have to understand that there are young people in our community who unfortunately do nothave the opportunities that we have. It is about time we spent a bit of the money that we are earning inthis great state of Queensland in supporting those young people who come through our primaryschools. We need to get them out there and encourage them to do a bit of welding, to do some fencing,to drive a tractor, to run a lathe or whatever. We need to give them the opportunity to get some of thesemining jobs that the big furore is over right now, where we are bringing people in from overseas to fillthem. It is about time that we faced up to reality and make sure that we look after those vulnerableyoung people who ultimately become criminals on our street and who end up going to jail and spendingthe rest of their lives as a burden on society and not contributing.

I must congratulate the Minister for Health for bringing back hospital boards and for the attitudethat the LNP have of making sure that the decisions we make as a government are made in our localcommunities. We need to make sure that we have control as a local community, through our localgovernments, through our hospital boards and everything else. We need to reduce the size ofgovernment, cut the cost of government and make sure our communities are the drivers of our future. Ialso congratulate the Attorney-General for making sure that hoons will not be driving their cars for toolong if they keep hooning on our roads. I again congratulate all LNP members and those members whosit across the chamber who have joined the club of 89 for the next three years. Let’s make it a good one.

Mr HOPPER (Condamine—LNP) (10.29 pm): In speaking to the address-in-reply, let me say thatit is an honour to sit in this parliament for a fifth term. I was elected in 2001. It was the same time thatPremier Beattie brought in his dream team. His dream team consisted of 30-odd new members that hepersonally picked—unlike the LNP, with our very stringent preselection process. We sat againstministers in this chamber such as Mackenroth, McGrady, Foley, Bredhauer and Schwarten. It wasan amazing time in parliament. There were 12 of us sitting over there and the Labor Party actually satbehind us.

The dream team that Mr Beattie picked was his downfall. He picked members that could notperform in parliament. It is as simple as that. He protected his ministers and it was the downfall of theLabor Party. We watched slowly as those ministers left. They raised up those members to be ministersand look at what we have today. We have a debt of $85 billion. That is the legacy left by the Labor Partywhich we, as the new government in Queensland, have to deal with.

There are 51 new members in this parliament, and their maiden speeches have been brilliant. Icongratulate each and every one of them. They have become members of the highest institution in thisstate. They have had to ask 32,000 or 35,000 people if they could have their job, and they do not takethat lightly. I would like to congratulate each and every one of them, especially two of the Labormembers—the member for Rockhampton and the member for South Brisbane. The other five Labormembers should hang their heads in shame for even putting their names forward to stand for election tothis parliament due to the legacy they have left. It is absolutely disgusting. It will be a very hard job to





pick up from what they have left. I congratulate Campbell Newman on what he has done. Let us takeQueensland forward.

I would like to personally thank all of the people who helped me in my re-election. There are somevery special people I need to thank. David Janetzki was my campaign manager. David is a very faithfulman who works for the Heritage Building Society in Toowoomba. He is a lawyer there and a wonderfulyoung man. Deb Frecklington, the member for Nanango, knows him well. He is simply a brilliant manwho has supported me and the LNP through and through.

I also thank Jan Tunley, who has given her life to the LNP and the cause. I want to thank PamGrundy and Ian Graham and his wife, Margaret, who have supported me. I just had to mention them inthis House. Another person I do want to mention is my wife—the one person who has supported methrough and through—and I honour her tonight.

The electorate of Condamine is an amazing electorate. I would say it is probably the richestagricultural electorate in Queensland. We are faced with the legacy of 20 years of Labor. We need somemajor projects to be put in place. They are talking of thousands of coal seam gas wells going into myelectorate, and that is a big threat to my electorate. Growth in that industry will place major pressure onour road system. Our roads are shot to bits and are desperately in need of funding immediately. Weneed federal funding for the Warrego Highway and the range crossing. In the town of Dalby, if you wantto turn left onto the Warrego Highway sometimes you have to wait five minutes. It is like you are onQueen Street in Brisbane. The amount of traffic going through the town of Dalby is just horrific, and weneed infrastructure put in place because the growth is absolutely amazing. We need four lanes fromDalby to Toowoomba.

The coal seam gas industry really causes concern for my electorate. They say that each well thatis drilled represents 2,000 vehicle movements. If 40,000 wells are going to be drilled, that is eight millionvehicle movements to go up the Toowoomba range and on the Warrego Highway, and that infrastructureis simply not in place.

Arrow Energy has a permit covering most of the flood plain from Dalby to Toowoomba. It is mybelief that, as the industry stands at the moment, coal seam gas is incompatible east of the CondamineRiver. We do not have the technology to keep up with what is happening there. It is too deadly and toodangerous to play with. The blacksoil country in that area is some of the finest agricultural land in theworld, as is Jimbour Plain and the Haystack area. I fear for the underground water in the Condaminealluvium. We have just seen our underground water impact report, and it states that the alluvium maydrop by 50 centimetres. There are parts of that alluvium that are only a metre deep. There is a lot ofwater there but any drop could be very detrimental.

Farmers in the area have taken up to a 60 per cent cut in their allocation to protect that aquifer,and some of those have been voluntary cuts because they know what it is to lose water, yet we may seea massive drop in the water. A number of towns rely on this water source. I would hate in 50 years timeto look back and say that we were part of a government that allowed that to happen on the Condaminealluvium. Our research needs to be accurate and we must be right on top of this before we allowanything to happen.

The LNP announced that we would create a GasFields Commission, to which we have appointedJohn Cotter as head. We want six deputy commissioners, and 80 people have nominated. Our scrutinymust be very thorough to pick the right people for that commission to handle the situation that is beforethem with this massive growing industry. The member for Warrego and I will certainly be keeping a closeeye on what happens there. I know that the member for Southern Downs will be heavily involved aswell. There are farmers out there who run some very big businesses who are employing a lot of people.They are innovative and they are well established. Imagine how they feel when another businessthreatens to override their livelihood. There are places for coal seam gas and I do not believe that theflood plain that I have described, east of the Condamine River, is acceptable for that at this moment.

I would like to touch on the town of Pittsworth in my electorate. Recently I met with members ofthe hospital board who are hoping to extend the hospital through federal funding. I hope to meet withfederal member Ian Macfarlane in the near future to help them in their quest for funding. Theydesperately need a palliative-care room, which I have spoken to our health minister about. People in thecountry like to spend the last few days of their life if not in their home then in their local town. I think thiswould be a wonderful thing for the people of Pittsworth. It is a thriving rural community and it deservesno less for its sick.

Pittsworth once had a thriving DPI office, and I think we could take it back to what it used to be. Ihave met with the minister on this subject. Hopefully we can rebuild those offices as a service providerfor our rural community. Our scientists and experienced people in the department have been choppedby a one-minded Labor government. We have seen very experienced scientists go. I believe whenWayne Goss took over the Labor movement there were 500 scientists in the DPI. I think there are nowfewer than 50. We have heard the Premier speak of doubling Queensland’s food production by 2040.This can be done. Let’s do it. Australia can actually feed the world.

30 May 2012 Adjournment 337

I spoke yesterday about the LNP not allowing the Felton mine, Acland stage 3 and permit 1979 atGowrie Junction to go ahead. We will release our strategic planning and map outlining where miningcan happen and where it cannot by the identification of prime agricultural land.

Another issue I wish to speak on is the disgusting outcome of our agricultural colleges acrossQueensland.

Mr Choat: Shame.Mr HOPPER: It is an absolute shame. I take that interjection from the member for Ipswich West; it

is an absolute shame. Minister McVeigh certainly has his hands full in picking up the mess left by theprevious Labor government. Instead of trying to promote the Dalby campus, they sold the land and theytalked it down and the agricultural college does not exist anymore. We now have a boarding schoolwhere students can do a certificate II in agriculture. We used to do a diploma, then we went to certificateIII and certificate IV. There was a 99 per cent rate of employment once those students left thosecolleges, but it was talked down. I shadowed Minister Barton while he was in this House, and MinisterFoley said that the agricultural colleges were the last of the Bjelke-Petersen regime. That is a disgustingstatement.

We must make this work. We must fill the numbers now of the boarding school that has been putin place. The agricultural college at Dalby is now under the education department and it can take 130students. We must make sure that it is absolutely full. We must provide the services that those studentsrequire. We must fill the numbers. We must hold onto the cattle, sheep, horses and machinery so thatthose children can get a fair go. Many concerned parents have contacted me, and I do not take theirconcerns lightly. This can work if it is done properly. Let us turn something that was destroyed intosomething that is vibrant and exciting. I think we can do that.

In finishing, I must say that this is the fifth term I have represented my seat and I hold it dear to myheart. There are many wonderful and faithful people who live in the electorate of Condamine. It certainlyis an honour to serve them in the engineroom of Queensland as the member for Condamine.

Debate, on motion of Mr Stevens, adjourned.

ADJOURNMENTMr STEVENS (Mermaid Beach—LNP) (Manager of Government Business) (10.41 pm): I move—

That the House do now adjourn.

Inala Community Health CentreMs PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Leader of the Opposition) (10.42 pm): Last Tuesday I was

honoured to attend the official start of construction for the Inala Community Health Centre’s $7 millionexpansion. I would like to place on the public record that the member for Stafford and Assistant Ministerfor Health, Dr Chris Davis, was also in attendance. I thank him very much for travelling out to Inala andfor his speech and welcome. We hope to see him back there for the opening which is scheduled forDecember. I also want to pay tribute to the Inala elders for their attendance. This is something we havebeen wishing and hoping for, and it is now being delivered out in our local community.

The Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Primary Health Care was part ofthe previous government’s commitment to closing the gap and improving health outcomes for Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders. This is a great example of the previous Labor governmentdelivering more services sooner for local communities like Inala. The upgrade is the dream of associateprofessor and director of the centre, Professor Noel Hayman. Professor Hayman’s vision is for thecentre to be a well-integrated, one-stop shop which provides all of the GP and specialist healthcareservices that Indigenous people need and that it will ultimately reduce Indigenous hospital admissionsacross Queensland.

Professor Hayman’s work is helping to improve the life expectancy of thousands of IndigenousAustralians not only in Inala but across the state. In the last 10 years alone, he has expanded thecentre’s number of registered patients from 12 to 6,000. His work is improving the control of diabetesand immunisation rates, and it is great to see Indigenous people travelling from all over Brisbane to thiscentre. I would also like to congratulate Professor Hayman for making his dream of expanding thecentre a reality.

I would like to place on the record my hope that the new government will provide the $2 million ofrecurrent funding that is needed for Professor Hayman to continue his work at the centre and thisinvaluable health care for Indigenous Queenslanders. It would be detrimental to Indigenous health careacross Queensland if the new government did not continue to support this important service.

The expansion allows staff to improve care for patients by working with visiting specialists in thearea of heart disease, diabetes and respiratory conditions. The expansion, which is due to be completedaround December this year, will enable the centre to double the number of patients who are treated



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2012 05 30 DAILY - parliament.qld.gov.au · men and women of governments past—leaders who have shaped Queensland into the great state ... If there wa s some sort of Harry ... why