Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm very pleased to follow the contribution by the previous speaker, the member for Ballarat, but we should talk about some facts, and the facts are pretty straightforward. I'm very pleased that the member for Grayndler is still here because we're going to explain once again why it is that some of these funds are not being delivered in Queensland. It's because of the Queensland Labor government and the true Premier, which is Jackie Trad. She is the true Premier of Queensland, and they are stopping everything. In the Wide Bay area, funding for hospitals since we have been in government, in terms of federal contributions, is up 37 per cent. I'm sure this is no surprise to you, Mr Deputy Speaker Hogan. The only reduction has come from the Queensland Labor government, which cut some $16 million from our region, from our hospitals, for those public services. I think that is an absolute outrage. So the Queensland Labor government are reducing funding to hospitals. We are driving up hospital funding for public hospitals in Queensland.

To the member for Grayndler, who is still here, which I think is fantastic: Premier Trad simply won't sign up. She will not sign up to the funds under intergovernmental agreements which are already in place. Currently, they have not signed the intergovernmental agreement on inland rail. They're not signing on for massive road funding right across the state. They won't sign the National Health Agreement which would provide $8 billion of additional funding for Queensland. They wouldn't sign up to the skilling solutions fund—some $240 million just for Queensland for some 50,000 apprentices. So for them to sit opposite and say we are not delivering is an outrage.

The Queensland Labor government simply won't play ball and I'm concerned it is for purely political reasons. In my own electorate, the Hinkler regional deal is one of only a few regions right around Australia where we are ready to go. There is agreement between the bureaucrats and between all levels of government. It was scheduled for a federal cabinet minister to be in town to sign on a particular day. The mayor was set up. Less than 24 hours out, the Queensland government changed their minds on the basis that they wanted to expand it to five regional council areas. I don't think anyone who is listening to this broadcast would consider that that is reasonable in any way, shape or form. So the Queensland government are playing games for political purposes, and I think the people who are missing out are the people of Queensland and the people of Australia.

But a quick history lesson, Mr Deputy Speaker. I'm going to play a game of 'guess the year'. Allan Border was the Australian cricket captain and we won the Ashes 4-0 in England. It was a fantastic result for the Australian cricket team. Madonna was top of the pops with 'Like a Prayer'—and The Bangles with 'Eternal Flame'. There have been a lot of people born since then who are currently voters in Australia. I'm not sure if you know what year it is, Mr Deputy Speaker. We might get a guess from some of my colleagues.

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