Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Thousands of people that call Townsville home are about to have their lives thrown into turmoil with the impending closure of Glencore Copper Refineries. Thousands of people could lose their jobs and find it hard to put food on the table, pay rent, pay for their mortgage, pay for schooling and pay medical bills, but all of this is preventable. The people of North Queensland have been begging the Labor Prime Minister for help, asking for him to intervene to support this refinery, but it's all fallen on deaf ears.

Not everywhere has it fallen on deaf ears. In Tasmania the Prime Minister was happy to support the smelter, but that was only because there was a state election happening. The Prime Minister was happy to bail out his Labor mates down in Tassie but won't support the people of North Queensland. This is politics before people. People are going to lose their jobs. I can't understand why this prime minister wouldn't be engaging to prevent this from happening. Even last night the committee that was set up to look at the long-term future of our refineries was voted down by this Labor prime minister. A future made in Australia is more of a bumper sticker now than a reality. This prime minister is happy to pick a fight with those who ask him a question but won't pick up responsibility to help those in North Queensland.

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