Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just want to add some brief remarks on the issues that Senator Macdonald and Senator O'Sullivan have raised. The sugar industry is, of course, a very important industry for northern Australia too. I wish I could say that I was astounded or surprised by Senator Lazarus's stance on this issue. But, unfortunately, it is becoming a pattern of behaviour for this particular senator to sell out Queensland jobs without thinking it through. He sells out the jobs of hardworking Queenslanders without really understanding the issues that is speaking on.

We saw it the other week when he latched onto a campaign that was being run against the live export industry at the front of Parliament House. He went down and spent a bit of time down there at a protest meeting and suddenly came out against the live export trade. He did not speak to the Gulf Cattlemen's Association. He did not speak to AgForce. He did not speak to any of the people in the beef industry whose jobs and livelihoods depend on that industry. He just came out with a position because he had spoken to a few blokes down the front of Parliament House.

We saw exactly the same thing this evening when Senator Lazarus went on national TV. He does not realise how important his remarks can be and how much damage they can do to industry. I have been in contact with Queensland canegrowers this evening. There was no communication with canegrowers, no communication with the 4½ thousand families in my state of Queensland and Senator Macdonald's state of Queensland who rely on this industry for their livelihoods. These are farming families who have their whole livelihoods in this industry—and Senator Lazarus has launched an attack on them this evening without even bothering to pick up the phone and talk to them first.

Finally, I want to make the point that this is not just about those farming families; it is also about the jobs in North Queensland that Senator Lazarus professes to want to defend. He was in here only about a month ago saying how important it is to protect the jobs in the meat processing sector—and I completely agree with him. We need to protect them. We want to make sure that we have a strong meatworks industry in this country. We also need a strong sugar milling industry in North Queensland. The cane growing industry provides around 40,000 indirect jobs through 24 mills throughout this country. What Senator Lazarus has done this evening is undermine confidence in that sector and put those jobs at risk. He should, I hope, reflect on his comments. He should at least have the decency to talk to the cane growing industry tomorrow about his comments. If he truly wants to continue to represent Queensland in this chamber, he needs to think more deeply and consider again the ramifications of his position.