Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'll take that interjection. It is a shame. I wish I had, Senator Cox, because last time you made one on this, I had five minutes of absolute fun and pleasure responding, cutting down some of the claims you made. I must be spanked, seriously, for missing it. When you travel into the state of Western Australia, the envy of the nation, you can see the wealth that is flowing. We've got some challenges, make no mistake, but we are so proud of our mining and our gas industries.

I want to make a declaration, because going back to about 1984—just so people can't look it up and have a little cheap crack—I delivered a load of furniture to the first office block in a place called Hearson Cove in Dampier. They told me at the time it was for a company called Woodside. Even back then, 40 years ago, they were creating some opportunities for employment wealth for us furniture-removalist truck drivers. WA's domestic growth is more than twice that of the rest of the country, at 5.3 per cent. We produce almost half of the nation's exports goods, which generate almost $260 billion for this nation. That might be a throwaway line, but let me tell you that's a heck of a lot of money. That's what we do just in WA. It's a little bit ripe and it does irk me a bit when Western Australian senators come in and talk down the economy in Western Australia and the employment opportunities in Western Australia—not only those that are directly employed through Woodside, which is what the motion's about, but also those directly employed through the greater industry, the service industry, the trucking industry that's around and the trades that go with it. We're all part of it as well.

WA's record levels of employment have led to significant real wages growth, which I said earlier that the economic growth and sound economic management delivered by Premier Roger Cook has seen WA's population increase by 94,000. I think we've got one Greens member in the upper house in Western Australia. That's what they were reduced to last time. Us Western Australians, particularly us in the Labor Party, were really excited with the result of the last election, which saw that side over there put down to only two seats in the lower house—a magnificent contribution. I've got to tell you that there are no Greens in the lower house. There's only one Green in the upper house. How he snuck in, I don't know!

A great deal of that sustained economic growth has been driven by our resources sector, which includes gas. If the Greens political party want to continue to criticise and block our gas industry, then they need to explain how they're going to keep energy prices down and replace $5 billion in taxes and royalties paid each year by Woodside.

Honourable senators interjecting—

I know that hurts the Greens, and I love the interaction. I think it's fantastic. The only thing I'm disappointed about is that I would love to have this debate on the stump in Western Australia. I would love to see all the workers in Western Australia, the supply chains and the service industry come to listen to Senator Cox and Senator Steele-John pooh-pooh one part of our great state, a massive part of our economy, and jobs that have been delivered—3,000-odd Western Australia jobs in Woodside alone before the flow-on. There's only so much basket-weaving you can do down in Freo—I can say that, because I live just out of Freo. It ain't creating the wealth. It ain't creating the employment opportunities. It's not creating the opportunity for apprenticeships and traineeships, let alone the royalties, and that's to say nothing of the jobs that have been created and supported by all these communities. This is the only sad part: I really wish we were in WA.

When we talk about that, you should expand your views—maybe get out of Perth and head up to Karratha or Dampier. Senator Whish-Wilson, I'll even take you with me. I'll drive you in my car. You bring your surfboard. I tell you what: we'll have a bevvy sitting on the beach, and then you can tell the people in Karratha how much you hate fossil fuels. I have to say this to my dear friend Senator Whish-Wilson and others: you do love the pointy end of the aeroplane. You do love the air-conditioned car. You do love the BMW. You don't ride your pushbikes up there, do you? Oh no. Fossil fuel gets you to work and back; you love it.