Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

That is exactly what I was doing. I was asking Senator Cameron what his association is with Ian Macdonald the bad, the New South Wales Labor politician, who I understand was in his faction and whom he supported. Perhaps he can tell us. I want to also ask Senator Cameron about his role as a board member of a very big superannuation company. We always hear about how these big companies, the big end of town, do all these bad things. Perhaps we should look in the mirror. Senator Cameron can attack me as much as he likes, but if he wants to attack people who are not in this chamber—like Ms Rinehart, who is one of the great Australians, one of the great entrepreneurs and a person who has contributed so much to the Australian economy—he should remember it is a two-way street. I will not raise those things again unless he continues to attack people who are not in this chamber to defend themselves. Regardless of his opinion of her, many other people, including me, think she is one of the great Australians.

I will complete my speech there because we are wanting to have a vote on this bill. I want to emphasise that all of the mining companies in Australia already pay a substantial amount of company tax and, importantly, royalties to state governments. That is why when a group of coal companies—and coal, as I have indicated, is just so important to my state of Queensland—initiated Australians for Coal then I proudly became involved in it. Unlike my good friend Senator Heffernan, who I know has an objection to the fact that they printed his name on these jackets, I was tickled pink and very proud to see my name embroidered here. Senator Heffernan—to his own respect, and it is his issue—did not like it, but I was so proud of it. So I proudly wear this high-vis shirt in the chamber today as a demonstration of my support and my solidarity with all of those workers involved in the mining industry right throughout Australia and in all of the towns and communities, most of which are in northern Australia, that exist only because of Australia's mining industry.

I look forward to a big future for the mining industry in Australia. If the Greens are so concerned about carbon emissions, I look forward to a time when the Greens political party will join me in supporting uranium production for energy in Australia. No, the Greens want it both ways. They do not want any carbon and they do not want uranium, yet they like their air conditioners, their fires and the creature comforts of human beings. I proudly support all of those involved in the mining industry, many of which are in northern Australia and in my home state of Queensland. My home state of Queensland is a substantial beneficiary of the Australians for Coal campaign and of the coalmines and jobs created there. Communities in my state are supported by the fabulous mining industry we have in Australia.