Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

This debate goes to the heart of the philosophical difference between the government and the opposition, with its long-term allies the Greens. This government believes in getting economic fundamentals right for business. It does not believe in interfering at the heart of business. Universities and businesses should be free to make their own investment decisions without the heavy hand of government being involved. Let's remember: the Australian resources sector contributes about 10 per cent of our GDP, directly employs 270,000 people and supports another 800,000 in the workforce. Over the last 12 months, over $50 billion worth of resource projects have been finalised across the nation, with increases in production including over 200 million tonnes of iron ore, 40 million tonnes of coal and more than 1,000 petajoules of gas, creating jobs and boosting the economy. Let's be clear: this motion is driven by the extreme Greens' aversion to the resources industry and, in particular, to oil, gas and coal—the sources of energy that not only drive our economy but also continue to bring billions of people out of poverty through economic growth and access to electricity. (Time expired)