James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I love being a Queenslander. I love our state. We have great beaches; we have great farmland and landscapes.

Senator O'Sullivan interjecting—

Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan, for your warm support. We have people who are never backwards in coming forwards in telling us politicians to get back in our box. We have glorious weather: we have Bundaberg rum; we have everything going for us.

I was up in Townsville on the weekend with the state council of the Liberal National Party. It was a very good meeting. We had lots of motions debated and passed. It came to me when Campbell Newman was speaking that we have one of the best governments in Australia, if not the best government in Australia with this fantastic Liberal National Party government.

Senator Polley interjecting—

You knew it was coming. You knew where I was going to go. I am disappointed that you waited so long. There are so many of the Newman government's positive achievements since their election in March 2012. I could talk all night on the wonderful achievements of the Newman government. Please bear with me while I give you some highlights of the achievements of this great government. I know that Labor senators want me to do this.

Before I get to Campbell and his government, let's talk about the Labor Party; let's talk about their little box of secrets, their esky of badness, their chilli bin of truth. What is the truth about the Labor Party in Queensland? Labor have squandered the last 2½ years. Instead of coming up with policies and ideas, do you know what Labor in Queensland have done? They have stood to the sidelines carping. They are experts in naysaying, whingeing and scaremongering. No-one likes a whiner. But I tell you what, the Labor Party in Queensland are good at whining because that is all they do. They have opposed the reform of the Liberal National Party. They do not stand for paying off the debt. It is like the Blinky Bill of Queensland politics—someone will come along with a magic pudding and pay it all off. The Labor Party in Queensland will not make the tough decisions with their mix of voodoo hoodoo economics.

You are led by the leader of no, the captain of negativity. Annastacia Palaszczuk and the Australian Labor Party's state representatives have given Queenslanders nothing to vote for. Queenslanders should not be fooled.

Senator Polley interjecting—