Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Labor supports and commends the role of firefighters and other emergency personnel in responding to the Queensland bushfires, and we support paragraphs (a)(i), (a)(ii) and (c) of this motion. As the Premier of Queensland, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has stated as recently as today, to those on the frontline and behind the scenes: thank you, you've done an incredible job. Labor extends our thanks to the dedicated volunteers from organisations such as Lifeline and the Red Cross, who are also working hand in hand with the state government to offer support to local residents and their families affected by the bushfires.

A motion in support of our emergency services personnel should not be exploited for base and overtly partisan political purposes, including an incorrect statement on Queensland laws, as this motion does. Labor opposes paragraphs (a)(iii) and (b) of this motion on that basis. We ask that the question be divided so that the opposition can vote on the different paragraphs (a)(i), (a)(ii) and (c) together, and paragraphs (a)(iii) and (b) together.