Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Leichhardt, in concluding his speech on this important matter, just chose to recite the various items he has been given for attacking the opposition rather than present cogent arguments. It is a pity he has walked out of the chamber, because I just wanted to remind him that the principal town in his electorate, Cairns, presently has a 14 per cent unemployment rate—14 per cent. Western Australia is trying to do a bit to help them out in that regard, through trying to generate mining revenue for all Australians. There are now two 737s, I think—that would be about 300 people travelling east-west and west-east—flying directly from Cairns to Karratha. As I said in the House the other day, I doubt those on the flights would be going for the scenery in Karratha; they are going there for employment. As such, one would think that the member for Leichhardt would be taking the opportunity, as one Graeme Campbell did many years ago when the Hawke Labor government decided to introduce a tax on gold that had not previously applied, to cross the floor and vote against his own government.

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