Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I stand in this place today to make it crystal clear that I will always fight for jobs for the people of my electorate of Herbert. My position on Adani has always been very clear: it must stack up both environmentally and commercially, and if it does it will go ahead, but I will never support giving a billion taxpayer dollars to a billionaire foreign company. I will fight every day in this place for real, quality and secure jobs for the people of Townsville. We suffered Clive Palmer from the Gold Coast axing 800 jobs from QNI, we suffered Campbell Newman's government in Brisbane slashing jobs in our community, and now we are suffering the Turnbull government in Canberra cutting jobs in Townsville in our schools and hospitals, more than in any southern capital city.

I am sick of these jobs cuts, and I am sick of the missed opportunities for Townsville. I will never back down from arguing for secure and quality jobs for the people of Townsville. I fought for the Townsville Stadium. Labor promised to deliver, and it is now delivering 750 local jobs. I fought for large infrastructure projects that Townsville needs to secure our energy and water future. Labor has provided $200 million to support hydro on the Burdekin Falls Dam, which will deliver 150 construction jobs. Labor will provide $100 million to ensure Townsville's water security. I will continue to fight for real, quality jobs in all sectors in our community. (Time expired)