Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about some of the measures we need in order to keep our economy strong. Jobs are incredibly important throughout the country, and nowhere more so than in my electorate of Flynn. The Flynn economy has been driven by unprecedented growth courtesy of the mining construction boom. It has provided the region with incredible infrastructure and thousands and thousands of jobs. For example, the three gas plants on Curtis Island used $70 billion worth of capital and employed 14,000 jobs on Curtis Island at any one time. Overall the project employed 28,000, a big boost to the region. Sadly, this has come to an end and, combined with low commodity prices, this has led to job-shedding in the region.

The economy is fragile, but still a very productive area. Industries of Flynn and around Australia cannot handle the increase in power prices. This is the main topic I want to speak about today. They cannot handle the dangerous policies of Labor under their proposal for an ETS system and a Renewable Energy Target of 45 per cent by 2030. When the Gillard government introduced the carbon tax, it nearly crippled industry across Flynn. The aluminium industry, in particular, was hit very hard. It cost Boyne Smelters $25 million. I have to thank our own party and Gary Gray and Chris Bowen for giving Boyne Smelters exemptions of 100 per cent, because without that exemption I do not think Boyne Smelters would be here with us today, and that would be a great loss to Boyne Island and surrounds and to the Australian economy. For instance, as to the electricity price in Bundaberg, where there is a lot of cane grown: last year they had the crop, they had a reasonable price and they had the water, but they could not afford to pump the water onto the crops, so their crops actually died—it was a dry season. It also affected all the aluminium refineries. We have three in Gladstone, including the Boyne Island smelter. It also affected the cement factories. There is only one in Queensland now, which supplies some of New South Wales and Victoria. There is an oil re-refinery. They all employ people and they all need electricity.

We then have the federal arm of the ALP who wish to tie a noose around the necks of industry once again under a new carbon tax. I cannot urge the opposition— (Time expired)

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