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

I very much appreciate Senator Moore highlighting the LNP women in Queensland. I do not think I could have given a more sterling vote of support for LNP women than Senator Moore has just done. Regrettably, we do not see those sorts of highlights from the Labor Party. Are we having a Labor Party function to highlight international women's week? We do not seem to having any. But I am very grateful to Senator Moore for just recognising what a broad church the LNP in Queensland is. While I am at it, I indicate that the LNP in Queensland is very well run by a couple of very, very strong women in Theresa Craig, who is the president, Peta Simpson, the vice-president, who Senator Moore kindly mentioned in what I can only call her 'strange' sort of speech.

I do not know why the LNP women decided to have the function there. I am glad they did. It indicates that in Queensland the LNP women are doing things for the right reasons, not for the silly reasons that Senator Moore seems to be fascinated with in this chamber. The LNP women are a great group of people. They are a very significant part of the LNP in Queensland. Whilst I do not have the statistics in front of me, my assessment from attending state councils, state conventions, branch meetings and area meetings would be that women comprise, if not more than 50 per cent, a very good percentage of the branch membership of Queensland.

I did not see Senator Moore regretting so much the number of LNP state members who were defeated at the last Queensland election. It was a pity Senator Moore did not show some interest when the unions that she supports, and the Greens political party's GetUp! group, campaigned dishonestly against those women members of the LNP. I did not see Senator Moore making much comment about that.

Senator Moore says that she has been at Tattersall's three times. She obviously enjoys going there. I have been there a few times, as well. I am not a member but I have reciprocal rights from the North Queensland Club, which is a similar social community club in Townsville. The president of this club is Ms Glenys Schuntner, a very important and significant woman in Townsville. She runs that club, and it is a similar club to the Queensland Club and the Tattersall's Club.

I do not know the rules of the Tattersall's Club. What I do know is that, clearly, Senator Moore has been able to go there. On the few times that I have been there, I have taken my wife in, and not one person has challenged me. In fact, during LNP conventions, which are sometimes held down the road, or used to be, I have stayed there with my wife and we would bring in people that I was familiar with. We would all go in and have a beer. Half of them would have been women. I was never challenged by anyone for women coming in, having a drink and enjoying the facilities there. So I do not know what Senator Moore's fascination is with this subject. I know Senator Moore is capable of a much better contribution to the policy debate of our nation rather than raising pathetically irrelevant issues like this in question time.

I want to conclude where I started: I am, again, very grateful to Senator Moore for highlighting the importance of women in the Liberal National Party of Queensland and the very significant role that the LNP women play in our party in Queensland. I just regret that the Labor Party were not doing things more positively to highlight all of the good things about women in the world.