James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is no secret that, for a long time now, freedom of speech, thought and political association have been under attack in many of our institutions, and no more so than in our universities. Last year, a mob of vandals violently assaulted the UQ Liberal National Society's market day stall, covering the club's equipment and young female students in paint while spraying foul, vile and abusive threats to these students. Following the attack, the UQ Union and, disgracefully, the university administration took no steps whatsoever to hold these thuggish vandals to account.

If that is not enough of an example of how much our universities despise those who hold sensible, centre-right political views, the UQ Union has now moved to disaffiliate the UQ Liberal National Society in a damning move against freedom of speech on campus. The current UQ Union leadership—surprise, surprise—is comprised of Young Labor and Socialist Alternative students. Given that the UQ Liberal National Society was the only group to campaign against the 'ruling party' in recent student union elections, this is quite clearly a move by the UQ Union to not only silence but outlaw their only opposition on campus. That politically conflicted Labor hacks are directly linked to this decision indicates a complete lack of procedural fairness and due process. UQ's dismissive attitude towards the serious issues of probity and safety on campus is quickly diminishing its reputation as an open and inclusive space for all, no matter their political persuasion. UQ, sadly, is no longer a place that champions the contest of ideas.

I'm calling on the university administration to hold the union accountable for this disgraceful move and to ensure that the UQ Liberal National Society remains affiliated.

What we are seeing here in Australia is a Labor government ignoring the concerns of Australian families who are being impacted most grievously by a cost-of-living crisis. The Reserve Bank has again increased interest rates. We've had nine interest rate rises in nine months. Labor will always cost you more. The last time interest rates were so high was 2012, and not coincidentally, I suppose, that was the last time Labor was in power. Nine interest rate rises in nine months.

You'd think Labor would do something to try and help Australian families by fulfilling their election promise to reduce power bills by $275; you'd think that would be a sensible start. Prime Minister Albanese promised to do that 97 times during the election campaign last year; 97 times he promised he would reduce power bills by $275. He hasn't mentioned it once since becoming Prime Minister. He can go to the tennis; he can have fun at the tennis, but he hasn't uttered the number 275, the figure that dare not speak its name. The $275 is a bit like the Scarlet Pimpernel with Labor; it's hidden. They seek it here, they seek it there, they seek it everywhere! Labor and the Prime Minister are not doing anything about people's power bills. They're not delivering their promise. So what we're seeing in Australia is a cost-of-living crisis with nine interest rate rises. We've seen inflation going up. And what does the Treasurer do? He rewrites 6,000 words saying absolutely nothing. Well, Treasurer, deliver on cutting people's power bills.