Sue Boyce (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a shame we do not have another hour to listen to Senator Marshall attempt to explain to us how cooperative federalism works these days. I would particularly like to comment on responses made by Minister Wong and Minister Carr. It is interesting to note in today’s media veiled threats from the Queensland Premier, Ms Bligh, that cooperative federalism may not work quite so well were an LNP government to be elected in Queensland. I was reflecting while Minister Wong was answering Senator Ian Macdonald’s very detailed questions that, if that is what cooperative federalism delivers, perhaps we are better off without it. Look at the fact that cooperative federalism means that the bureaus in Cairns, Townsville, Mount Isa, Mackay and Rockhampton, places currently hit by floods and which have also experienced damage from cyclones, are to have their bureau staff halved. The government can go on as long as they like about halving the staff while saying, ‘But the services will be wonderful.’ Unfortunately, that is not the way it works.

Communities rely on the people in them using the services. If you want to maintain jobs, if you want to keep communities healthy, you maintain the services provided by government in these areas. You only have to look at the other cuts that cooperative federalism has delivered to Queensland—cuts to the CSIRO, cuts to ANSTO, both of which deliver important information services and other services to the state at a time when we need them most.

What else has cooperative federalism given to Queensland? Look at area consultative committees, those vital components in maintaining good community funding and good community structures. Again, thanks to the federal government and to Ms Bligh, cooperative federalism has delivered closure of area consultative committees to Queensland.

Unemployment has risen yet again this month in Queensland, where more than 3,500 people lost their jobs in the last month. That makes it particularly relevant when you look at the questions Senator Mason asked concerning the fall in literacy and numeracy to very poor levels. It is not particularly surprising to realise that, despite the fact that gross state product in Queensland has doubled since the Beattie-Bligh government was elected, the proportion of funding they have spent on education has fallen by three per cent. They can get all the money they like but they cannot even keep the funding for education happening at a level needed to fix the problems, which they go on creating.

The other thing that would not be surprising to hear is that whilst they cannot fund education properly, they have managed to expand the public service in the past 11 years by more than 36 per cent. Year on year, the number of public servants increases in Queensland by the thousands. So we have 82 per cent literacy and numeracy in Queensland compared to a much higher national figure. The government is dropping funding year by year and the Queensland public service is being bloated by the Bligh government at the same time.