Justine Keay (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

We have got on board. You just won't debate it. Unfortunately, this approach is something we have all become used to. Surely the coalition realises by now that the loss of the so-called three amigos to Labor at the election was a reflection of how this government has failed to listen to the voters of Tasmania. There were plenty of examples, too. There was hardly anything for the Cradle Mountain infrastructure upgrade—which would grow the economy and grow jobs in northern Tasmania—except for a measly million dollars, despite support from the tourism industry and the region's nine mayors. There continues to be no sound plan for the NBN on the west coast of Tasmania, even with the NBN Co admitting that the government's plans might not even work. And the issue of mobile phone access in rural and regional Australia has left many communities wondering what century they are in, thanks to over-promising and under-delivering by this government. Then there was nothing of value for money for important infrastructure projects in my community such as the Wynyard waterfront, which, again, would support the local economy and jobs. So, yes, feel free to espouse the many so-called positives of the government's term so far, but the reality is that regional and rural areas like mine in Braddon in north-west Tasmania will continue to suffer while the coalition focuses on giving handouts to the big end of town.

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