Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Sorry, Madam Deputy President, I'd forgotten that. Every time I speak and then leave the chamber, Senator Cameron mentions it. I don't remember Senator Keneally taking points of order then. Maybe she's worried about her former cabinet ministers, Mr Obeid and the bad Ian Macdonald, who are both languishing in jail, and she's not thinking very clearly about these things.

Senator Cameron doesn't even know the names of the groups in North Queensland. As the Senate well knows, I live up there, I interact with people who work there and I understand the Barrier Reef. Senator Cameron makes the accusation that we're not doing anything about man-made pollution and the crown-of-thorns starfish. Yet, if he looks at this package of half a billion dollars, they are two of the specific areas that this money will be used to address. The crown-of-thorns starfish is being specifically targeted under this new program, with additional boats going out and picking them up.

I have to tell all of the senators on the other side just where the Barrier Reef is. It's up off the North Queensland coast, starting around Bundaberg and going right up to Thursday Island. I tell them that because none of the Labor Queensland senators live anywhere outside of Brisbane. We had former Senator McLucas in the Senate at one stage. I didn't often agree with her but at least she was based in Cairns. She wouldn't be making these stupid comments about the Great Barrier Reef. Former Senator McLucas and I at least know where the Barrier Reef is.

Senator Watt interjecting—

Senator Watt, who's yelling out across the chamber, knocked off former Senator McLucas. He stabbed her in the back. But I hear the Labor Party's going to put a senator in North Queensland. One of Senator Watt's staffers is going to be parachuted into the Senate when they get rid of Senator Moore. What happened to gender equity in the Labor Party? You got rid of former Senator McLucas, you're getting rid of Senator Moore, and I understand, Senator Watt, you're going to parachute one of your male staffers into the Senate and then put them up in North Queensland. They'll be a great North Queensland advocate, I know that. But the Barrier Reef is something we are keen about.

I often say, 'Don't take my word for it; take the word of Save Our Marine Life,' an alliance of leading conservation organisations working to protect Australia's marine life. This group sets quite accurately out in its booklet called A big blue legacy: the Liberal National tradition of marine conservation, which I read from often, all of the work that Liberal Party and National Party governments have done over the years to protect the Great Barrier Reef. We're the first ones in there protecting it—we're the only ones there that know where it is, for a start!—and we know what to do to enhance the wonderful experience that is the Great Barrier Reef.

No doubt we'll have Senator Keneally get up after this—I'd be interested in her views as a Sydneysider. I hope she's been to the Barrier Reef. In fact I encourage all senators to actually go up to the Barrier Reef and have a look around. Talk to the people who work there. Talk to the people who understand it. Talk to farmers who are doing real things to stop pollution of the Barrier Reef. These five-minute experts—like other Labor speakers will be, no doubt—will be interesting to listen to. Those of us who understand the reef—and the mayor's sitting in my office—are ecstatic about the concentration that this government has put into the Barrier Reef and the substantial money it has provided to protect and enhance it.