James McGrath Queensland, Liberal National Party
4:21 pm
I move:
That the Senate—
(a) recognises the hardships faced by rural and remote towns in Queensland, which range from the physical threats of harsh droughts and bushfires, to the mental health threats associated with isolation such as depression and loneliness;
(b) notes:
(i) the important social and economic benefits that pubs and hotels confer on rural and remote towns in Queensland, and
(ii) that pubs and hotels in rural and remote Queensland towns operate in environments vastly different to hotels in larger commercial centres; and
(c) supports any proposals that reduce the burden of licensing fees on these social and economic hubs.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
I seek leave to make a short statement.
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
The Greens are supportive of parts (a) and (b) of this motion. Many regional towns in Queensland are doing it tough. Social support networks and hubs have an important role to play in these areas. However, this motion calls for the burden of licensing fees of pubs and hotels to be reduced, and it's being moved by a senator who has accepted more than 190 bottles of wine and 21 cases of beer from the Queensland and Australian hotels associations over the past six months, and whose party has accepted more than $1.1 million from the gaming, alcohol and hotels industries over the past five years. The Greens cannot support a motion that advances the interests of that industry.
Scott Ryan President
Senator Waters, were you asking for the motion to be divided?
Larissa Waters Queensland, Australian Greens
In the interest of progressing things, no, that's fine.
Question agreed to.