Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to speak tonight about some recent data that, once again, demonstrate just how much our economy and political system are rigged in favour of the wealthy and the well-off. This latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show how much the discredited, so-called trickle-down system of economics—that puts markets before people and that has been promoted by both parties of the Establishment—has failed the majority of the community.

Figures just released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics—not the fabulous ones today on the marriage equality survey that Senator Dodson just spoke about, but figures in regards to wage growth—show that wage growth continues to flatline whilst recent figures from the same source show that corporate profits have continued to soar. Wages continued to sit at a measly two per cent growth over the past 12 months—almost exactly the same level as inflation. Therefore, there has been, basically, no increase at all. At the same time, if you compare that to the enormous growth in corporate gross operating profits over the last financial year—30 June to 30 June—it grew at the astonishing rate of 21.2 per cent, seasonally adjusted. To repeat that: wages grew by, basically, zero, adjusted for inflation, whilst corporate profits grew by over 20 per cent in a year.

This data unequivocally demonstrates that the system is becoming more and more rigged to the few and against the many. Why should it be that these few reap so many profits and such great increases in their own wealth whilst the workers, who are the ones responsible for producing the wealth, get none of that growing share? It's no wonder, in these economic circumstances, that cost-of-living factors are, therefore, so critical in the current election campaign in Queensland. Probably the issue that's been most consistently raised over the last two to three months in the lead-up to the state election has been that of energy prices and electricity prices—and, of course, we had a debate in this chamber on that topic just yesterday.

In that context, I'd like to provide some updated information—which I'm sure the Senate has been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to hear from me—with regard to energy prices and assessment of the policies that have been put forward by all of the political parties to date in the state election campaign. This assessment comes from Hugh Grant—not the Hugh Grant that people might immediately think of from the UK, but Hugh Grant, who is nonetheless quite well known in Queensland as an energy analyst. He has a long history and experience in the energy sector and is also a consumer representative in assessing and providing feedback to energy regulators on the impact on consumers. I did hope to incorporate his assessment in Hansard tonight but I have received word that permission for that has not been granted—so I will nonetheless provide that information to the Senate.

His information is on the policies of the Queensland Greens, across the board, the full suite of policies in the areas of networks, the generators and the retailers, as well as related policies such as reverting to state-based network regulations and approaches to renewable energy versus the clearly ridiculous ideas of building a new coal-fired power station—something that would clearly make electricity costs more expensive. All of those factors have been assessed by Mr Hugh Grant. He found that, for an average electricity bill, a typical bill for South-East Queenslanders, the Greens' policies would save people around 32 per cent, $620, off a bill of $1,750 over the course of a year. By contrast, Katter's Australian Party was half that, at $330; Labor about half again, at $165; One Nation less again; and the LNP's policy would actually cost people more once you factor in the economically and environmentally absurd ideas to build new coal-fired power stations, wherever you put them in the state. That's for South-East Queensland. When we turn to regional Queensland where, in many cases, unemployment is higher and, therefore, cost-of-living pressures—not just electricity but also, of course, housing costs, transport costs and the like—can have more impact, these savings are even greater.

I think Mr Grant will be releasing these details himself and he can explain the rationale behind his assessment, but the key point that I wanted to emphasise to the Senate and to all Queenslanders is that the Greens' policies leading into the state election on that key issue of electricity prices clearly will deliver the most significant and the most sustainable savings for Queenslanders in one of the areas where cost-of-living pressures are so high. That, in conjunction with all of the other issues that Queenslanders are assessing leading up to the state election is an extra reason to emphasise that the Greens' policy approach at this state election is such a credible and important one for the electorate to consider.

Whilst I'm talking about my state of Queensland, I would like to also take the opportunity to thank the people of Queensland for so resoundingly demonstrating their support for marriage equality and for removing discrimination from our Marriage Act—discrimination that was put in place by this parliament in 2004. Queensland came in at just over 60 per cent. Nearly 61 per cent of the people of Queensland who filled in the unnecessary postal survey expressed their support for marriage equality. I was particularly pleased to see that this was a higher figure than for the state of New South Wales, which came in at under 58 per cent. I think we can add that one as even better than winning the State of Origin, frankly. It's also another example, as I mentioned in this place yesterday, of just how false this portrayal is of Queensland as somehow innately conservative and reactionary.

As I said yesterday, Queensland has a strong history of pushing the envelope on radical action, pushing progressive change and fighting back against the reactionary and conservative forces that undoubtedly are present not just in Queensland but elsewhere. So let this be just another example to put the lie to the nonsense that somehow Queensland is innately a conservative state. That's not just in the south-east. I am very pleased that the electorate I live in—the seat of Brisbane—achieved the fifth highest result across the country, with nearly 80 per cent of people said yes to marriage equality and yes to removing discrimination. The seat of Griffith across the river was also one of the top 10 in the country to say yes. It is not just in those seats but also in so-called conservative areas that people voted yes.

Indeed, Mr Christensen, the member for the seat of Dawson, which is based around Mackay and goes all the way up those rural and regional areas to the southern parts of Townsville, is a strident opponent of not just marriage equality but treating people decently in all sorts of ways. In his electorate, the yes vote was 55 per cent—a clear 10 per cent win and a bigger margin than Mr Christensen himself has in that seat, I think I am correct in saying. So it was a resounding yes voice also coming from regional Queensland and rural Queensland. It is a very important point to make when we consider this question and the legislation before this chamber in the following sitting week.

I would like to pay tribute to the people across the country, particularly in Queensland but in other areas that are seen as conservative, such as Toowoomba, which I know Senator Moore knows particularly well. I went to some marriage equality events in that city and the local pastors there, a couple, spoke very passionately and positively about marriage equality. It is a great example of people from all walks of life and from all parts of the political spectrum simply arguing their case with a genuine sense of heart and belief—with the spirit that Senator Dodson just referred to in his speech. You can shift people's views by simply opening your heart and explaining your beliefs in convincing other people on how to change.

I would also like to thank those within the Greens, the rainbow Greens, who have been the spearhead within Queensland in pushing and promoting the need not just to say we support marriage equality but to put it at the top of the agenda, and for continually pushing and pushing to get that change to happen. The leaders of our network in Queensland and the rainbow Greens are also candidates in the state election: Steve Purcell in Jordan and Bridget Clinch in Everton, which I think was Senator Watt's old seat. We've got an even better representative coming, Senator Watt. You will be pleased about that.

Senate adjourned at 19:38