House debates

Monday, 29 May 2017

Statements by Members

Queensland Government

4:26 pm

Photo of Michelle LandryMichelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

We know the Palaszczuk government needs Greens preferences to stay in power, but this latest move is a blatant insult to long-suffering regions outside the south east corner, including my electorate of Capricornia. The Queensland Labor government is treating working Queenslanders with contempt, while GetUp! seems to be running the state.

By refusing to honour its agreement to facilitate funding applications for vital infrastructure with NAIF funding, the Labor Party is betraying Central Queensland workers. Oh, they were happy to fly to India to have photos taken, and happy to drag the chain to retain government, but what about jobs for the 7.2 per cent unemployed in Rockhampton? What about a future for the 20 per cent of young people who cannot find jobs in Central Queensland? Queensland Labor caved on royalty incentives, and now they are washing their hands of major infrastructure for Central and Northern Queensland. That does not just hurt Adani; this affects infrastructure investment that would open up the Galilee Basin and support the blue-collar workers who built this state. This is an insult to the working people of Queensland, and it is an insult to the very foundations of the Labor Party. If they cannot stand up to GetUp!, it is time they got out.