Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Hansard source

Here we are today seeing the disgrace of all of those Labor members who were voted for by their constituents on the policy of no carbon tax now voting for a carbon tax. They will get their retribution, and they know it. Mr Perrett, with his marvellous, selfless indication that if Labor changed their leader then he would resign from the parliament, can read the figures as well as I can. He is on a one per cent margin, and nothing will save Mr Perrett from his dishonesty in promising his electorate that he would not vote for a carbon tax.

I conclude my contribution by again referring to the people of Central Queensland, whom I try to assist because their local member, Ms Livermore, is rarely around. She has proved today that she has no interest in their welfare. A year ago Ms Livermore promised the people of Rockhampton, Moranbah, Dysart and Middlemount that she would not vote for a carbon tax—a tax that will impact very, very heavily on the jobs, mortgages and future lifestyles of her constituents. She told those constituents that there would be no carbon tax, yet today she has breached that promise, that obligation—that duty, almost—to the people who elected her, and she has voted for a carbon tax. I can only wait for the next election, whenever it is held—next week, next month, next year or in two years time. The people of Capricornia will take their revenge.