Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question follows on from the answer just given by the Minister for Finance and Deregulation, but the question is addressed to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. I refer the minister to the government’s decision to spend $2.5 million on the unions’ so-called ‘Tree of Knowledge’ and the conservation of a dead tree situated in Barcaldine. Does the minister regard spending millions of dollars on a dead tree as an appropriate use of government funding?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to get a question from the shadow minister opposite. And I am particularly pleased to get a question about the Tree of Knowledge—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The question has been asked!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

in Barcaldine in Queensland because indeed it was the former Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell—rest his soul—who listed the Tree of Knowledge on the National Heritage List on 26 January 2006. I can understand that they did not check with former Senator Campbell before they asked the question, but maybe they should have checked with the member for Flinders, because this is what the member for Flinders, who knows his history, had to say on 28 January 2006:

Heritage and Environment parliamentary secretary Greg Hunt said the 150-year-old tree, 1000km northwest of Brisbane, had played a major role in Australia’s political and regional history—

‘a major role’!

But there is more. They could have spoken to the local member, the member for Maranoa, about what he thinks about the project, because the member for Maranoa said that he was pleased to see the historic symbol awarded such an honour. He said: ‘The Tree of Knowledge reminds’—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I bet he is not supporting the amalgamation.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. My support was at the time the tree was alive.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member knows it is not a point of order.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was asked; it was in order. The response being given is in order. The chamber will listen to the response in silence.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. This was a good question. The National Party is full of deadwood, but we do not worry about it. We do not say that you should not be represented here.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will get back to the question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We think that is fine. There is more. This is what Senator Campbell had to say about the killing of the tree. On 21 May 2006, with appropriate respect for an iconic heritage listed site, he said:

We condemn the action and we will work closely with the Queensland Government to make sure this site—

wait for it—

is properly protected and the history properly commemorated.

I understand why we, on this side of the House, have 117 years of proud history and know what we stand for. Those on the other side of the House do not even know the name of their amalgamated party. The National Party is full of deadwood. The Liberal Party is all over the shop. We understand why they object to the commemoration of this historic site. But this historic site is important not just for the local community as an important tourist attraction but also to all those who want to understand the important history of this nation. That is why Labor has committed funding to support the ongoing protection and establishment of a memorial at the site, the interpretation of the Australian Tree of Knowledge story within the Australian Workers Heritage Centre, and the creation of a theme pathway to enable visitors to walk to the memorial and to facilitate access to the museum and town. We stand by this project and our history. You stand for nothing.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hope in future that the minister will direct his remarks through the chair and not to the chair, as he did in his conclusion.