James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to talk about what happened on May 18, if I may, especially in the context of Queensland. I want to acknowledge that many people did a lot of work to help the Liberal-National Party achieve 23 out of 30 seats and also return three senators. I would like to acknowledge the fact that we have got Senator Scarr, Senator McDonald and Senator Rennick as new senators on this side of the chamber.

We also have four new members in the House of Representatives. We have the wonderful Angie Bell, who is delivering her maiden speech this afternoon in the other chamber. We have Terry Young, the member for Longman. We all remember what happened in Longman in terms of the by-election that, when you think about it, led to the re-election of the Morrison government on May 18.

Terry Young gave his maiden speech about two hours ago in the other chamber. He is a small business person who grew up in and understands the suburbs of Caboolture, Morayfield and Bribie Island.

We've got Julian Simonds who replaced Jane Prentice in Ryan. He is a brilliant local councillor and a brilliant community representative for the western suburbs of Brisbane.

Up in Townsville in Herbert we have got Phil Thompson. He is a former Queensland Young Australian of the Year. He is someone who received the OAM. He is someone who really understands what it is like to be a digger. He understands the pressures that are on those who serve for us and defend the freedoms that with take for granted.

What I would like to do also is thank those who, sadly, were not able to be elected on May 18. I want to thank Olivia Roberts who ran for us in Griffith, who ran a brilliant local campaign. The Greens were very distasteful in that campaign, especially their behaviour at the Coorparoo pre-poll.

I want to thank Frank Beveridge up in Kennedy, who comes from out Richmond way, one of the largest seats in Australia. Frank ran a brilliant local campaign.

Of course we had Brad Carswell in Lilley. 'Send a worker to Canberra' was possibly the best slogan to come out of a campaign in the last 20 or 30 years. Brad Carswell is someone who has the callouses on his hands. His Labor opponent is one of those other Labor lawyers who comes from that university of Labor 'dulldom'. He would've been a brilliant addition to the benches down here in Canberra—a real worker.

Rob Shearman is someone who ran for us in Blair. He is someone else who served his country in the defence forces. He would have been a brilliant member for Blair. We have Shayne what's his name who is the member down there. I don't know what he does. I can't remember his name. No-one knows who he is.

We've got Russell Bauer who stood for us in Oxley. He is someone else who has served his country in the defence forces. He is a brilliant young, family man.

Then we have got Angela Owen, a Brisbane city councillor, who ran for us in Moreton. Those who know AO, Angela, know that she is a force of nature, someone who is absolutely brilliant. She understands the ethnic communities of Brisbane better than anyone else in Brisbane. She is someone who stands up for the southern suburbs of Brisbane.

Then we have Clinton Pattison, who would make a far better shadow Treasurer or Treasurer than the current member for Rankin will ever make, because he understands the importance of lower taxes. He understands the importance of a strong economy.

We also had Nicole Tobin from up Millaa Millaa way originally, and now in Cairns, and Amanda Camm who's the deputy mayor of Mackay. They are brilliant people who understand their communities.

We should never forget that the LNP returned 23 out of 30 members in Queensland. But we only did that because of the people of Queensland, who understand that we will be humble and we will deliver for them—we'll deliver lower taxes and a strong, safe economy. (Time expired)