Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

You will not be here either, the way you are going. He is another fine member with a strong background in business. He is getting on with the job of advocating for his constituents in south-western Sydney.

It is passionate local members such as these who understand—they actually get it—the needs of local business both big and small. Do you know what the definition of a medium-sized business is? It is a business which was a big business before Labor came into power! Do you know what the definition of a small business is? It was a medium-sized business when Labor came into power. But we are getting on with the job of getting those businesses back, firing. We are getting on with the job of producing real jobs with real money; to ensure that the National Stronger Regions Fund, that Roads to Recovery and that good local representation is going to put them back on track to make money. And by making money they will be paying more taxes. By them paying more taxes we will be able to help repay the debt and deficit that Labor left us.

If Labor really cared about working Australians they would not have voted in the Senate yesterday to waste thousands of taxpayer dollars. Apparently, there are not enough issues to be dealt with in the Commonwealth sphere; the Palmer United Party and Labor think we need to go into the affairs of Queensland as well. How disgraceful! Let's be clear: we are only talking about the Queensland Liberal-National Party government, not the previous Queensland Labor administration. Oh no! No! We would not want to shine a light too brightly on Labor's record of failing to deliver for Queensland. No—we would not want to do that. I do not think the people of Queensland have forgotten that, and they will be only too happy to remind them at next year's Queensland state election. I tell you what—that is when the Queensland voters will have their say and they will not forget the years of Anna Bligh and the years of Labor misadministration.

This committee will deliver money into the pockets of the committee chair, but I am not all that clear on what it does for Australian taxpayers. It is certainly not good value for money.

Kevin Rudd, the former member for Griffith—

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