Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today, colleagues, we saw an absolute new low. I am telling you, I looked up and saw the snake's belly while I was listening to that question about Mornington Island.

Senator McLucas interjecting—

I have been there, Senator McLucas. I have been there and heard the same evidence. You need to go and check your Hansard against his Hansard. The minister did not mention the council in his answer and it was the only thing you quoted. He talked to you about the police. He talked to you about the community organisations. We went to a health centre—I had two visits there. Two long days I had on Mornington Island and, I tell you, your question should have been to the minister: what can I do to help the minister in dealing with the very serious alcohol problem on Mornington Island? But you had no interest in that. Your interest would have been reflected in your question. What do you want to do? You want to diminish the efforts that are coming out of that two-day visit where the minister kindly came along with our assistant health minister. These are two serious people who took a very serious interest when I raised with them the problems on Mornington Island.

If you have been to Mornington Island, I accept that. I ask you now, next time you get up to make a contribution, what did you do about what you saw? The problems are still there. What did you do when you were in government? You are a senator based in northern Queensland. This is a very vital part of your constituency. So the next time you get an opportunity, why do you not lay down what you did when you were in government for the poor people of Mornington Island.

The circumstances over there are not Third World; they are fifth world, sixth world on Mornington Island. There were 200 offences before the court over the course of one week. I took a great deal of interest in this. I sat there with a fellow—I cannot think of the fellow's name—who has got a PhD and is doing continuing work there in a community role. We went through the court list and were able to determine that something like 180 of those offences would not have occurred had alcohol not been involved. It is a horrific problem.

You heard the minister say to you that he does not know—