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

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the coalition government is delivering job creating infrastructure and resource projects across Queensland? Is he aware of any alternative approaches which pose a risk to those jobs of hardworking Queenslanders?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the very, very popular member for Flynn. He's not only popular in his own electorate, but he's obviously very popular in here, too, as he should be. He's a hard worker. He's a fighter. He's a fighter in his electorate for local jobs, for infrastructure, for the resources sector, for his people and for regional Australia. He knows, we know, that infrastructure investment and private sector investment stimulates local economies and creates local jobs, and our government is delivering. It's cutting taxes—the lowest company tax rate since 1940. It's cutting red tape—$5.8 billion of red tape slashed each and every year under the Liberal and Nationals. Building local infrastructure—that's what we're delivering. As well, 403,000 jobs last year equates to 1,100 jobs a day, many of them full-time employees.

Another great example of job creation is the Adani Carmichael project: 2,500 direct jobs and 8,300 indirect jobs during construction; 3,900 direct jobs and 11,800 jobs in operation; as well as 2,000 jobs supporting fly-in fly-out workers in Rockhampton, in the member for Capricornia's electorate, and in Townsville in the great member for Dawson's electorate, as well as in the seat of Herbert. What does the member for Herbert think about this? What's she doing? Is she supporting these local jobs? When youth unemployment in Townsville is running above 20 per cent, is she fighting for these local jobs? Is the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Maribyrnong, fighting for these local jobs? No way. Not this bloke. There's only one job he's fighting for and that's his own. He has gone from the faceless man to the two-faced man. He and his mates are still wielding their knives, though, aren't they, albeit butter knives?

What do the workers have to say about him? Chiquita Mushrooms: one employee said, 'He sold us out.' That's what one worker said. It's a similar story for the workers at Cleanevent. The workers of Queensland can't trust him. The workers in Batman can't trust him. And the people in Queensland can't trust him. So, if they can't trust him—and nor can the union members who he purports to represent—how can the people of Australia trust the member for Maribyrnong?

Lou Christie once sang a song made famous by Ol '55 called Two faces have I, and this applies to the Leader of the Opposition. The writing is on the wall, but it's also a mural on the corner of High and Bell streets in Melbourne, in the electorate of Batman. There it is, Mr Speaker—'Two faces have I'.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Prime Minister knows the rules on props.