Senator clueless on sugar industry
Moves by NSW Senator David Leyonhjelm to reverse a hard-fought decision to introduce a sugar marketing code of conduct are both ignorant and arrogant.Senator Leyonhjelm wants to scrap the Sugar Marketing Code of Conduct, and he claims he has the support of Labor senators to do so.This is an arrogant stance by a NSW Senator with no experience or understanding of the sugar industry.He calls cane farmers ‘socialists’ and he says their arguments for a right to a say over who markets their sugar are ‘piss-weak’.
Protecting penalty rates for ALL workers
19 JUNE 2017: Today, I introduced a private members bill to parliament that would protect penalty rates for all workers and would restore penalty rates that have already been traded away through dodgy deals between big business and big unions.
Green groups with deep pockets
3 JUNE 2017: Would you believe that the activist group at the heart of much of the attack against the Adani Carmichael Coal Project - GetUp! - paid out $4.6 million to their staff last year? That's effectively $4.6 million going into the pockets of inner city green zealots who want to ensure that no money goes into the pockets of workers in this region who are desperate for jobs.
Townsville MP puts green interests ahead of clean coal
LABOR proved once again today that they would rather protect preference deals with the Greens than the needs of business in North Queensland.The benefits of having a coal-fired power station in North Queensland, preferably at the mouth of a coal mine in the Galilee Basin, have been demonstrated in a report commissioned by Townsville Enterprise Limited.A number of Labor MPs denigrated coal and the coal industry in speeches today, yet most disappointing of all was that the Member for Herbert, Cathy O’Toole, would not support any push for a coal fired power station in the region.
Labor should be fair dinkum on penalty rates
I HAVE issued a challenge to the Labor Party to prove they are fair dinkum about cuts to penalty rates, regardless of who is making the decisions.I moved an amendment to a Labor bill, stating that any move to address cuts to penalty rates due to the Fair Work Commission decision must also address cuts in penalty rates negotiated between big unions and big business.I oppose the reduction of any take home pay through changes to penalty rates, whether it comes about by the Fair Work Commission decision or union approved agreements.
Bogus claims and cost-shifting from Qld Govt
THE State Labor Government has serious questions to answer about their $220 million application for Category D funding under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) scheme.I believe that at least $56.3 million – about one quarter – of claims are bogus.Frankly I’m shocked at what has not been included in this application for funding which is expressly for the purpose of disaster recovery, and I’m equally shocked at what has been included.
Labor Senators ‘don’t give a damn’ about jobs
LABOR senators can’t spent an extra few hours in Canberra to ensure thousands of workers get on the job sooner to build the Carmichael mine, port and rail line.This is the frustrating result of a series of last minute amendments and stalling in the Senate which has pushed off a vote on the Native Title Act for another month.Although Labor said they would support the necessary amendments to the Native Title Act which has essentially frozen a number of projects, including Adani’s Carmichael mine project, over indigenous land use agreements, they have managed to stall the process and further delay job creation.It’s just another example of the so-called ‘party of the workers’ failing to do what is necessary to support workers not only in Central and North Queensland, but also workers in South Australia at Arrium who will have job security through the company’s deal to supply steel to build the Carmichael rail line.The necessary amendments to the Native Title Act were scheduled for a vote in the Senate yesterday.
NQ jobs, cheaper power a step closer
2 FEBRUARY 2017: New jobs and lower power prices could come to North Queensland as momentum builds for a low-emissions coal-fired power generator in the North. My call for a clean coal generator in North Queensland has received a boost with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull supporting the technology and emphasising the need for affordable and reliable electricity.
Petition to stop abuse of legal system
9 DECEMBER 2016: To the thousands of North Queenslanders who joined me in the push to get Adani’s Carmichael Coal Project over the line, I would like to offer sincere thanks and also to congratulate you on the successes we have achieved to date. Mr Adani’s visit to North Queensland this week brought with it a wave of confidence and a positive outlook for our region as we look forward to the jobs and economic boost that will follow.
Tax deal a win for backpackers and local workers
28 NOVEMBER 2016: A 15 per cent tax rate for backpackers is a good outcome for North Queensland farmers, backpackers and Australian workers. The Liberal National Government announced today it had negotiated a deal with One Nation for the tax rate applying to working holiday visa holders.
Shorten needs to back up his outlandish claim
16 NOVEMBER 2016: Bill Shorten needs to back up his outlandish accusations today about 457 visa-related voting in parliament with fact. He claims I voted “no” to legislation that, according to Bill, Labor “proposed to help improve the governance, the regulation of the visa system to make sure that Australians were getting looked after and people weren’t getting ripped off and exploited”.
Shorten fails to own up to issuing record 457 visas
16 NOVEMBER 2016: Opposition Leader Bill Shorten missed a golden opportunity today to explain to North Queenslanders why he signed off on a record number of 457 visas when he was the Employment Minister. Although the purpose of Mr Shorten’s Mackay visit was to talk about 457 visas, he failed to mention that Labor oversaw the largest increase in 457 visas during their last term of government.
Labor sweeps QLD dam projects under the carpet
11 OCTOBER 2016: Urannah Dam and a host of other water projects in North Queensland have been swept under the carpet by the Queensland Labor government, putting thousands of job opportunities on hold.
Action trumps review on banks
31 AUGUST 2016: I chose action to pull the big banks into line today rather than another inquiry because actions speak louder than words and wasted time.