Julie-Ann Campbell (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

As I have said in this place before, I'm incredibly proud to represent the most multicultural electorate, the most multicultural community, in all of Queensland. I myself have an ethnically diverse background. My family immigrated to this country from China in the late 1800s, my last name is Campbell—obviously of Scottish heritage—and my grandma on my dad's side was born and raised in Canada.

What I have come to learn as an adult is that the diversity of my background is a strength and that the diversity that exists in the backgrounds of all of our communities continues to be a strength. It doesn't matter what the colour of your skin is. It doesn't matter what your faith is. It doesn't matter what your postcode is. It doesn't matter whether you are from the regions, it doesn't matter whether you are from rural Australia, and it doesn't matter whether you are from remote Australia. Every single everyday Australian plays a critical role in our society and plays a critical role in our economy. It doesn't matter who you are; we all do that. Labor stands up for every single one of those Australians.

I want to take the opportunity to thank the member for Gippsland, because this is an incredibly important question. It certainly is, and it bears repeating because this question goes to the failure to govern for all Australians. I think it's an interesting question and, indeed, an ironic question, given that what we've learned about the coalition in the last few months is that they are completely incapable of governing themselves, let alone a country. It gives me the opportunity to talk about everyday Australians and to examine—not through their words but through their actions—what the opposition thinks about them.

If you're a young person looking to get into your first home, the coalition does not want you to have a five per cent deposit. If you're an apprentice looking to start your trade, the coalition does not want you to be able to access free TAFE. If you're a manufacturing worker, the coalition does not want your job to be in this country. We know that the coalition has offshored again and again and again—the car manufacturing industry, the shipbuilding manufacturing industry, the train manufacturing industry—particularly those workers in regional Queensland. That is what the coalition's vision for manufacturing workers is. If you're an older Australian who relies on health care, the coalition does not want you to have better health care and cheaper medicines. If you are on a minimum wage, the coalition does not want you to have a pay increase. If you are a taxpayer, the coalition wants you to pay higher taxes. So, if you are any of those people—if you tick any of those boxes—what we know is that the coalition does not support you.

But perhaps I've been a little too harsh, because I know that there are a number of groups that the coalition really does support. Are you a boss who enjoys a long lunch? Good news! The coalition will back you in. Are you not a fan of working on a laptop? Good news! The coalition doesn't want you to work from home. If you think climate change isn't real, it's good news, because they don't want net zero to be a policy of this government. All of those things demonstrate very clearly that this is an opposition and a coalition that doesn't care about everyday Australians. If you're a young person, if you're an apprentice, if you're a manufacturing worker, if you're an older Australian, if you're a person on a minimum wage, if you're a person who cares about the environment or if you are a taxpayer, this is a coalition that will not back you in.

When it comes to this question, the member for Gippsland and the members opposite do not need an MPI. They do not need to go back to their offices and get out a pen and write out a question or a motion for this House to consider. What the coalition needs to do is take a long, hard, cold look in the mirror, because the only people who have failed to back in Australians at every turn are sitting right there.

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