Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It supplies 77,000 jobs and contributes $100 billion annually to the economy. It creates over a billion dollars in the Far North alone in tax revenue, building hospitals, roads and critical infrastructure. More than that, it is a cultural and international touchpoint. It is one of the things people think about when they first think of Australia. It supplies food, comfort and recreation, creates memories and is a major economic driver for the regions of the Far North. It is the Great Barrier Reef—the world's largest living organism, a natural wonder of the world.

On this side we support the reef. We work with the agricultural industry to improve their yield while limiting run-off. We work with the tourism industry to monitor the reef and remove crown-of-thorns starfish. We work with the fishing industry for a sustainable and profitable seafood future, and we work with traditional owners to preserve the stories and the cultural value of the reef. Most importantly, we accept the science and are acting on climate change.

The risk those opposite pose to hardworking Queenslanders and those small businesses who have built the Far North is unacceptable, and we will not have it. My region matters. The jobs matter. The people dependent on these industries matter. The energy transition matters. There has been much talk of T-shirts over the last few days, and I'm reminded of the old gen X staple, the No Fear shirt. It says simply: 'Lead, follow or get out of the way.' Having refused to do the first two, I suggest the opposition does the latter.

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