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

I appreciate the minister's assurance in that regard. I must say that, at a recent inquiry into NAIF set up by the Senate, by the Labor Party and the Greens, it was raised that there were conflicts of interest which were unresolved. Again, I understand that, under the CAC Act and other Commonwealth legislation—and, indeed, under the NAIF's own legislation—there are the natural requirements for disclosure where there are conflicts of interest and for avoiding even participating in discussions or votes where that occurs. So I just hope that these amendments don't take that disclosure obligation, or that avoidance of any involvement in anything in which a board member may have a conflict of interest, any further.

I won't pursue this further, except to say—just returning to the Adani issue—that not only were all the environmental approvals given, not only did this go to the Federal Court and the High Court any number of times and not only hasn't the NAIF board been able to do its job because of the intervention of the Queensland government—which has absolutely nothing to do with it—but also, more importantly, in this inquiry there were a number of contributors at the Darwin hearing who spoke about the importance of Indigenous involvement, in that instance in the development of Northern Australia, and how it was important to get Indigenous people involved.

I know in the Adani case the local Indigenous population, by I think a majority of about 98 per cent, supported this. Why did they support it? It is because they wanted jobs for themselves and their children. They wanted to be able to employ their children on their own lands. Yet, notwithstanding that, the Greens political party and now the Labor Party government in Queensland—and, indeed, it seems Mr Shorten and the federal Labor Party with their sop to voters in Batman—have also ignored the wishes of the local Indigenous people who wanted that project because it provides jobs for them.

Clearly you hear a lot of bleating from the Greens and the Labor Party about Indigenous employment, but when there is a real opportunity for Indigenous employment, as there is with the railway line construction in Central and North Queensland, the Labor Party, rolling over to the Greens political party again, simply ignore the wishes of Indigenous people. It seems that Mr Shorten, in his determination to fight with his Green mates in Batman and to promise the people of Batman anything that the Greens will promise, is saying, 'We don't give a stuff about Indigenous employment.' I suspect there are not a lot of Indigenous people in Batman, so that wouldn't be an issue in that particular electorate. It is in Central Queensland. It is in North Queensland. It is in northern Australia, where we are trying to get development that will assist Indigenous people into real jobs. What do we get? We get the Queensland Labor government rolling over to the Greens who keep them in power in Queensland. Now in Batman, because Mr Shorten has the fight of his life on with his former allies in the Greens political party, they will both promise anything they need to win the latte set, completely ignoring the wishes of Indigenous people who want real jobs in northern Australia.

And so, Minister, I won't delay the passage of this legislation anymore. Suffice it to say that we have your assurances that the requirements on accountability and conflicts of interest are not outrageous. They are part of the normal approach. We expect all government agencies, all public servants, all minister and all parliamentarians to disclose and, where they do have a conflict of interest, to remove themselves from any discussion that relates to the subject matter before the board.