Mal Brough (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As a member of the old 2nd/4th Battalion, I commend the member for Makin for his work and his words in the parliament today.

I am standing here today on behalf of the 8,400 15- to 19-year-olds on the Sunshine Coast who are unemployed. These are people who are, quite frankly, almost locked out of the workforce in a way that they do not wish to be.

The Sunshine Coast has a bright future economically. A lot of good things are happening. But, unfortunately, there are too many young people whose dreams and aspirations are not being met because they are not getting a start in life. I am sure that if you went around the 150 MPs in this place and the senators in the other place you would find so many of them started in the workplace in part-time work, often in kitchens or pumping petrol, as you used to once do—that was my first paid job; I actually worked in a shop for six years for my family business and I got paid with love from my mum!

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