Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams and acknowledge his longstanding interest in regional and rural Australia and jobs. We are getting on with the job of creating employment: this year, 163,000 jobs; over the term of this government, 335,000—four times Labor's. And, unlike those opposite, we actually believe in the resources sector. We actually believe it is vital to the Australian economy. We believe in the future of coal as a reliable and abundant form of energy in this country. We believe in the jobs of the 54,000 people who work in the industry directly. We believe in the 145,000 who work indirectly in this industry. And we believe in the exports of some $36 billion in 2012-13. We believe in the $3.2 billion in royalties. And that is why we want to see these resources projects proceed and proceed without the sort of intervention that the Attorney-General has so well articulated over the last two days.

We do not agree with those with a philosophical objection who want to oppose every coal project. We want to allow jobs. We want to allow mining to continue. We want growth in this sector and we want those opposite to actually start acting in the best interests of Australian workers, and they are showing no indication at the moment. As the Attorney-General said, there will be 10,000 jobs if the Carmichael mine continues and $22 billion in mining taxes and royalties in just the first half of the life of this project. If I go to Mary Carroll, the CEO of Capricorn Enterprise: 'The recent court decision will dishearten locals in a time employment opportunities are scarce. This mine would have provided thousands of jobs in the Central Queensland region.' (Time expired)