Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Eight long years—that's how long this government has been in power. It's been eight long years of opposing action on climate change. It's been eight long years of the government running around regional Australia, lying through their teeth about what action on climate change means for our regions. It's been eight long years of 21 energy policies, constantly changing, with the government constantly unable to make up their minds and constantly stopping investment in renewables and the jobs that come with them. It's been eight long years in which this government, which says it's about the regions, has been sending regional jobs offshore and stopping our regions from getting those jobs that other countries are grabbing with open arms. It's been eight long years of holding our regions back and stopping them from gaining the opportunities for jobs and the prosperity that other countries are grabbing with open arms. It's been eight long years of regional Australians paying the price for this government refusing to take action on climate change and handing to other countries jobs that should be going to places like Rockhampton, Gladstone, Mackay and Townsville. After eight long years, still they are squabbling. Eight long years isn't enough for this incompetent mob of people who want to chase jobs offshore rather than put them into regional Queensland. We've had enough of the fake farmers and the fake miners in the National Party. We need to listen to real farmers and real miners, who know that net zero emissions is how they will create jobs in the future and support their communities.