Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to take the opportunity of talking on two points in the couple of minutes that I have left. One is to endorse the remarks of the shadow minister for families, housing, community services and Indigenous affairs, the Hon. Tony Abbott, in relation to trying to encourage more Indigenous Australians to seek a life of service to our country through politics. I want to place on record that, of course, the first Indigenous Australian to come into this parliament was from Queensland. A great man, Senator Neville Bonner served Queensland and the Liberal Party with distinction. He considered his service in the parliament to be a great honour, and I certainly want to encourage all Australians who have a love of this country—not just those with an Indigenous background but indeed those from all walks of life and all backgrounds—to consider serving our country through coming into parliament. It is a great honour, and I know that it would be considered a privilege as well.

Queenslanders go to the polls very soon. I know that all Queenslanders living in the electorates of Mount Ommaney, Indooroopilly, Moggill and Mount Coot-tha—which fall within the federal seat of Ryan—will know very well that they have a very important decision to make regarding not only their future but the futures of their families and other Queenslanders. This Queensland government is bereft of ideas. It is bereft of vision. Bar two years of the Borbidge government, the Labor Party has been in power in Queensland for nearly 20 years, and we have all kinds of problems in Queensland. We know that the AAA rating of the Queensland government has now fallen over the cliff. It is time for a new era of competent government. It is time for a new era of stable government. It is time for a new era of Queensland leaders in George Street, Brisbane. I encourage all Queenslanders to place their faith in the leadership of Lawrence Springborg and his new team of LNP candidates, because they will deliver for Queensland what the current Premier, Anna Bligh, is failing miserably to do. It is time for a new generation of leaders and public servants in the life of politics in Queensland, and I know that all the candidates in Mount Ommaney, Indooroopilly, Mount Coot-tha and Moggill will certainly be working very hard to show that they have the credentials, the energy and the enthusiasm to serve their respective electorates. Certainly, I know that my colleagues here in the parliament will be doing all we can to remind them of the disastrous—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! It being 8.00 pm, the debate is interrupted.