Madeleine King (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Griffith for his question. The truth is—and the Prime Minister and this government have always said this—the decision about whether coal will be exported by this country and bought by others will be made in boardrooms around the world, particularly in North Asia; it won't necessarily be made by us. This is an export industry that, indeed, has been operating in this country since, I believe, 1801. This is a long-term industry that supports tens of thousands of people and communities right up and down the east coast. To disregard them, as you tend to do, Member for Griffith and your comrades, is disingenuous to those communities—

See this speech in context