Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

After question time in this take note of answers debate you've got to love it when you smell a whiff of hypocrisy floating over to this side of the chamber. I have to say that, of all the cheeky things those opposite have said in this chamber, what I just heard from the previous two Labor speakers really does take the cake. Instead of coming in here and talking about jobs and development for Queensland in the state election, as we predicted they came in and absolutely failed to tell the truth.

First of all, I will make it very clear: there is no preference deal between the LNP and One Nation in Queensland. Any suggestion that there is is just simply untrue, no matter how often they suggest that in this chamber rather than talking about Queensland jobs. The LNP have made their position very clear: no deals, no coalition, no shared ministry. But listening to Senator Chisholm then reminded me of an exchange in this chamber with Senator Hanson earlier this year. While Senator Chisholm is no longer in the chamber, I will still read this out, because it absolutely puts paid to the lie perpetrated by those opposite in question time and now in take note of answers. Senator Hanson absolutely belled the cat in the Senate earlier this year, on what we've just heard from Senator Chisholm. Senator Hanson said:

Isn't it amazing what comes across this chamber? Wow, you must be really worried about One Nation, because you have spent your time on this—

as they have again today and not on jobs—

that a preference deal had been done. The whole fact is that Labor have approached One Nation for preferences.

Senator Dastyari, if you recall, you said:

No, we haven't.

Senator Hanson replied:

You do not want to talk about that. How about Evan Moorhead, the Queensland state secretary?

That is, the state secretary of the Labor Party. Senator Chisholm, who was just in here saying something completely different, said:

We'll put you last.

Senator Hanson then replied:

You should know him, Senator Chisholm; you were a former state secretary in Queensland. He—

that is, Evan Moorhead, the Queensland ALP state secretary—

called up my staff on 25 January this year and wanted to do a grubby deal with us. Listen to this: Evan Moorhead wanted One Nation to run dead in all Queensland Labor seats and in return Labor would run dead in One Nation strongholds or in seats they had no chance of winning. So don't talk about grubby deals.

How short your memories are on the other side! Instead of talking about Labor's policy for jobs and job creation in Queensland, again, as we expected, you have come in and made accusations about things that are simply not true. But I think you must have forgotten that we actually rang that bell in here earlier on. We found out who was the one who was trying to do preference deals with One Nation, and it was not the LNP; it was Evan Moorhead, the Queensland state Labor secretary. How short your memories are!

It doesn't stop there. Instead of talking about jobs and job creation in this chamber and making sure that countries like India use the cleanest possible coal—which is Australian coal—the Queensland Labor Party, who previously absolutely supported the project, have now, surprise, surprise, bowed to the Greens and turned their backs on Central Queensland for inner Brisbane seats. Queensland Labor had promised voters that they supported the Adani Carmichael mine and the tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs that would go with it. In fact, on 18 February last year the Hon. Curtis Pitt, Treasurer for Queensland, wrote to Josh Frydenberg, the then minister for northern Australia. Guess what he said? Guess what the Queensland Labor minister said to Josh Frydenberg? He acknowledged that the Queensland government must be a legal conduit for the NAIF, that the government would continue to support the NAIF's objectives, and provided a list of projects that was to be assessed by the NAIF. Guess what? This project was on that list. In May this year, the Treasurer affirmed that the Queensland government would uphold its responsibilities should any NAIF loan be given to Adani. Well, well, how times have changed! (Time expired)