Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have heard so much negativity from this government over the last week about the coalition's draft discussion paper on the development of Northern Australia. Why should we not have the discussion? Why should we not look at the natural evolution of our country? We have had the Assistant Treasurer screaming about different tax rates for this zone and how unfair it would be to have them. To some extent, though, they already exist. Zone rebates have been in place since I started paying tax in 1978, and even before that. Why can't we talk about a special economic zone? There are over 3,000 special economic zones in the world. China has used hundreds to lift over 600 million people out of poverty. China can see the benefit of support, but our government thinks it is stupid. Why cannot we encourage investment and development? Why cannot we consider lowering taxes for people who move to this area to live and work? Look at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to see what happens when you put out the welcome mat and tell the world you are open for business. Such zones already operate, sort of, in Australia. When every job in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry in Australia is subsidised by the Australian taxpayer to the tune of $164,000 per job, why can we not look at such zones for the future of our country?

There are a number of things we can discuss but there is only one thing about which we have spoken enough, and that is the Bruce Highway. It must be brought up to standard. It is vital for any development that we have secure and safe transport options. We need to ensure that we can get to Cairns and Mackay and further south 365 days a year. The people in my electorate do not care who pays for it; they want the thing fixed. It is flood-proof between the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast.

To my knowledge, their sea level is no higher or lower than our sea level. It can be done and if we are serious about the development of the north of Australia we must get to work.

I believe we have to talk about what we want to do. Any sales strategy must start with who is our market and what do they want. Whatever we do, we must fit into the broader market base for the tropical world. Once we have that broad mission statement, we can develop a firm path on which we can embark. But there can be certain inalienable tenets to this development which can be discussed. They would be water security, power security and getting the base right. I would like to address each of those in reverse order.

Getting the base right means getting the science right. We have river systems about which we know very little which must be researched. We have ports and dredging issues, which must be addressed. We have the Great Barrier Reef and the Gulf of Carpentaria to think about. We must get it right. Anything we do will have an impact and that has to be addressed. We will have to address power security and the form that that will take. If it is renewables such as solar, wind and hydro are the answer, then let us have the discussion. If it is a coal fired power station, let us have that discussion as well. Reward for risk and management of that risk is the key to everything.

Water is the key to life. We all know that. We live on a dry continent. We all know that too. But if you asked people across this country which river system carries the most water, I am willing to bet that the Murray-Darling would win the popular vote. They would, of course, be wrong. With the Fitzroy, the Burdekin, and the Ord river systems, we can do anything. Let us have the discussion. Let us all have our say. But let us all have an open mind about the outcome.

We can grow the north of this country. We can have this discussion. We can make decisions. This is not about Gina Rinehart; this is about Australia. This is not about paying people $2 per day; this is about getting Australia to work and work brilliantly. This is about getting rid of the bad taxes and rewarding those people who will have a go. This is about our future and we should not be shy about it. I thank the House.