Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) | Link to this | Hansard source

The Reef HQ Aquarium is the largest living aquarium in the world. This Labor government has failed the people of Townsville. This project, which had $80 million delivered by the coalition, for refurbishment, was ready to go. The new government took over, and they said, 'We want to do this project differently. We're going to knock it down and rebuild it.' That costs more, but not a dollar was invested then, and not a dollar has been invested now. The office of the Minister for the Environment came out and said that the former government didn't fund this project correctly. Well, Senate estimates revealed that that was a lie.

The people of Townsville are angry, and rightly so. There have been a couple of petitions circulated, with more than 10,000 signatures. I seek leave today to table one of those petitions.

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

The normal process is to advise the government of tabling, but in this case that hasn't occurred. Is leave granted?

Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) | Link to this | Hansard source

While the member has failed to go through a process that he knows very well—which, obviously, doesn't extend respect to a range of people in this parliament—on this occasion leave is granted.

Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) | Link to this | Hansard source

It shouldn't take a petition from thousands of people to get this government to do its job. Townsville wants the Reef HQ to be fully built and operational, and it needs to happen now. (Time expired)