ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY

Resumed from 12 June (see p. 1810).

Hon. MAJ SCANLON (Gaven—ALP) (11.18 am), continuing: I know I would not be here without some incredible people. I will inevitably miss mentioning some of these people by name, but I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of the amazing volunteers who contributed their time and energy to our campaign. To those who showed up early in the mornings with signs, especially Barbara, Garry, Cheryl and Terry, their visibility made a difference from the very start of the day. To everyone who spent weekends doorknocking or made evening calls—people like Chris Deeks, Dominique, Feargal, Rachel, Holly, Raife, Jack, James, Keaden, Sophia, Kylie and so many more—thank you. They persevered through rain, hail and plenty of sun with dedication and enthusiasm. Campaign work is not always visible. Behind the scenes there were hours of letterboxing, stapling and packing backpacks and booth kits. I want to especially thank Robert, Barbara Deeks, Peter and Peter, Nik, Ann Bunnell and Deb. Every task mattered. Every teabag stapled to a card played its part.

This campaign was built on their passion, persistence and belief in what we were working towards. I acknowledge some volunteers who were not with us this campaign, in particular, Margaret Cox, Ib Dyhr and Bruce Doleman whom we sadly lost and who are missed by the Gaven Labor family. I thank Megan, Rhiannon and Brianna, regardless of what role they have taken on, who have always been there to help or provide sage and sometimes brutal advice and, of course, the incredible Kate Flanders. I acknowledge Luke who, no matter what, has always been there, right from the very start.

To Simone, Adrian and Kathy in my electorate office, thank you for everything you did throughout the term, listening to my sometimes unrealistic ideas. Thank you for your relentless dedication to the Labor cause and for your friendship. I thank my former ministerial team of Kobe, Alyssa, Tim, Sharyn, Naomi, Beth, Emma, Steph, Sheena, Francis and Robyn. In particular, I thank Clare Manton, who is an absolute star. She always has my back, is fiercely passionate about the cause and is smart, funny and, most importantly, a friend. I thank Nick Heath, who started as my chief of staff in the environment portfolio and whose experience and enthusiasm, particularly as I was a young minister, was invaluable. He helped me try to overcome the imposter syndrome that so many women, in particular, experience.

I acknowledge my family. I thank the crack team of aunties and uncles who have flown from Victoria to help out at every election, including this one. They grew up in a working-class area in Victoria. Six kids and two adults lived in a three-bedroom social housing home. Their stories and values have played a part in who I am and what I fight for here today.

Last, but certainly not least, I thank my mum and brother or, as he likes to be referred to, my favourite brother, despite the fact that I have no other siblings. Callum is fiercely competitive and protective of those he loves, and naturally those attributes came in very handy on pre-poll. Callum constantly reminds me of why I entered politics in the first place. He is a kind-hearted, funny and decent bloke but there are some challenging times. A lot has changed thanks to Labor initiatives such as the National Disability Insurance Scheme, but there is still a lot more to be done. I hope that having more favourite sisters in this House helps make the world a better place for Callum and his mates.

Finally, I thank my mum. For a part of our lives she raised us as a single parent and she made up for that absence with double the focus. Anyone who tried to cross her on the polling booth would know just how much she cares about not just my brother and I but also the broader Labor cause. I do not distinctly remember it but I am told that throughout my childhood mum took me to many union delegate meetings. She was a CPSU delegate and she very much instilled in me the importance of people standing up for workers’ rights and conditions. I would not be here today without her strong values.

What Labor stands for matters. We took a whole range of really important matters to the election and, despite the result not being the one we wanted, we respect it. I thank the electorate of Gaven for putting their trust in me. The things that we took to the election really do matter. I was reminded of that most recently when I doorknocked in my community and met Cecile, a pensioner, and Jamie-Lee, a single mum, who really are relying on cost-of-living relief in this year’s budget and in budgets to come. Only two weeks ago I met Liam, a nurse at the Gold Coast University Hospital. He and his colleagues deserve decent wages and conditions. I acknowledge the mighty union movement that played their role at the last state election in representing their members. I know the QNMU was on my polling booth, fighting for the right to fair wages and conditions that their members expect. In opposition, we will continue to fight for those people who did so much through COVID and continue to do to make sure that people are given the care that they deserve.

I said in my first speech that I come from a long line of working people, from my great-grandfather, who fought for better conditions following his coalminer father’s battle with black lung, to my grandfather on my dad’s side, who was an ETU shop steward during the infamous SEQEB dispute and whose disdain for Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s autocratic style of government lives on in me today. It is one of the reasons this side of the House will continue to advocate for the need for the Fitzgerald inquiry measures to be implemented in full and not eroded, as we are starting to see in some of the decisions of this Crisafulli government. While the Gold Coast is seen as the glitter strip, I know where I have come from and I will continue to fight every day for the hardworking men and women of suburbs such as Nerang. They deserve a fair go.

I want to acknowledge some of the electorate staff who assisted in casual positions, although I have not written down all of their names. It was motivating to see so many young people get involved in this campaign. Some of them have gone on to work in the mighty Labor movement and the union movement. They really instilled energy into the campaign. I hope they continue in the Labor movement because we need them going forward to fight for the issues that we all believe in.

Hon. DK FRECKLINGTON (Nanango—LNP) (Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity) (11.24 am): I rise to deliver my address-in-reply speech and to formally acknowledge the Governor’s speech to mark the opening of the 58th Parliament of Queensland. I begin by congratulating the honourable Speaker on his elevation to the role. I congratulate you, Mr Deputy Speaker, on your elevation to the important role of Deputy Speaker.

At the October election and since we commenced the 58th Parliament in November, it has become clear that Queenslanders had been crying out for leadership and not excuses. We know that at every corner of this great state people had been demanding the fresh start that Queenslanders deserved and needed. After nearly a decade of Labor, in too many areas things had not been good enough. I start my contribution by congratulating the honourable Premier, the honourable Deputy Premier, my many ministerial colleagues, new members, returning members and members who have come back into this House after a slight break. It is wonderful to be on this side of the chamber and to see the smiling faces of the amazing people we have.

In her speech to open the 58th Parliament, the Governor highlighted the priorities of the incoming Crisafulli government. She said— It will be a government of accountability, focussed every day on the issues that matter to Queenslanders: • safety where you live • health services when you need them • respect for your money • a place to call home; and • a government that works for you

I want to start with the issue that was raised more than any other in my electorate—that is, Labor’s youth crime crisis. Across Queensland our communities have been shaken, from Townsville to Toowoomba, Rocky to Redbank and even in my own home patch of the beautiful South Burnett. After a decade of Labor, Queenslanders were waking up in fear. They were seeing increased rates of stolen cars, break-ins, ram raids and assaults. Far too often, the perpetrators were repeat youth offenders who showed no regard for the law or their fellow Queenslanders and no fear for consequences. This is not just about statistics; it is about real Queenslanders upon whom the effects were personal and devastating.

I have sat with families whose homes were ransacked while they slept. I have listened to mothers who no longer let their kids walk to school. I have spoken with business owners forced to install bars on their windows and close early. I have stood with victims who felt completely abandoned by a justice system that had lost its way. That is why I am proud of the action the Crisafulli government has already taken in this place. We have done exactly what we promised to do and we will continue to do it because we have a very important role, which is to keep Queenslanders safe.

Forty-eight days: that is all it took the Crisafulli government to take the first step to turn the tide on Labor’s youth crime crisis. I compare that to the Labor Party which, for a decade, was soft on crime. The first tranche of the Making Queensland Safer Laws was in place by Christmas, just as we promised. That first tranche of commonsense community backed reforms will hold repeat serious youth offenders accountable for their actions. Our laws are not about punishment for punishment’s sake. They are about restoring the balance to a system that is tipped too far in favour of offenders. This is about putting victims first and sending a clear message that if you commit adult crimes then you will face adult consequences. I know that not every young person who offends is beyond help. I believe in early intervention, community support and the power of second chances, but we must draw a line. We must protect our community and we must stop making excuses for those who continually cause harm.

The truth is Labor had a decade to fix it. They had reviews, councils, pilots and empty promises. What did we end up with? We ended up with more youth crime.

A government member interjected.

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I will take that interjection. Labor still had not fixed it. They could not even decide whether to back our tough laws. We had more victims and more chaos. The time for Labor’s excuses is over. The LNP are now delivering real reform and restoring safety for Queenslanders.

Crime was not the only area where the former Labor government let Queenslanders down. Let’s talk about health. No matter where I go in my electorate—be it Esk, Kingaroy, Kilcoy or any other town— I hear the same heartbreaking stories: people have to wait too long in emergency departments, elderly residents are unable to get a hospital bed and paramedics are ramping outside facilities because there is no room inside. Our health workers are doing the best they can, but they are overwhelmed, overworked and under-resourced.

The further you live from Brisbane the worse the situation is. In my own electorate we have communities that struggle to attract GPs, clinics that are turning away patients and families who are forced to travel hundreds of kilometres for specialist care. That is not good enough. Every Queenslander, no matter their postcode, deserves to have access to quality, timely and reliable health care. That is why the health minister’s focus on regional health and more money for mental health and regional maternity services is so vitally important.

I will never stop fighting for better health services for the people of my electorate. I have advocated for upgrades to the Kingaroy Hospital. I have advocated for the beds in the short stay unit to be opened. I have pushed for more mental health support. I have pushed for cancer care in our regional towns. I have pushed for telestroke in our regional towns because our lives are just as valuable as those in the south-east corner and we do deserve better.

After a decade of inaction by the former Labor government, Queenslanders are tired of waste. They are tired of billion-dollar blowouts. They are tired of vanity projects that do not deliver results. The LNP are restoring integrity and discipline to government spending, and we will always put the priorities of everyday Queenslanders first and have respect for their tax dollars.

As promised, we have already scrapped not one but two taxes. We have scrapped the GP tax. We have scrapped stamp duty for first home buyers who are building a new home. How long has it been since a government has scrapped a tax? We have scrapped not only one tax; we have scrapped two taxes.

As a proud representative of regional Queensland I want to take a moment to speak about primary production. Our primary producers are the backbone of this state. They feed us. They clothe us. They export to the world. They manage their land with care, stewardship and pride. For years, though, the Labor Party, when in government, treated our farmers like criminals. They saw them as a problem to be managed rather than as partners to be supported. We were in opposition for a decade and during that time we stood in this House and fought against the unfair vegetation laws, the bureaucracy that was out of control, the red tape that was strangling innovation and the policies that punished rather than empowered our primary producers. I will always back our rural producers. I believe in a future where agriculture is seen not as a relic of the past but as a powerhouse of this great state— a sector of innovation, opportunity and sustainability.

I will continue to fight for water security, better transport routes and genuine support for the next generation of primary producers. I look forward to Barlil Weir being built, as promised. I thank the Minister for Water for taking immediate action on this priority project for my electorate. Barlil Weir will be delivered by the Crisafulli government without delay.

The Nanango electorate is not just some lines on a map; it is a way of life. It is Saturday morning sport. It is local markets. It is show days. It is rural firies. It is SES units. It is P&Cs. It is our service clubs. It is the heart of this great state, but we cannot take it for granted. The Crisafulli government has promised to restore our regions, to fix our roads, to build infrastructure that lasts, to support small business and to ensure our children have access to great schools and job opportunities so they do not have to leave our regions to build a future. I am proud to be part of an LNP team that understands regional Queensland because, like the Deputy Speaker, the member for Scenic Rim, we live it. We get it. We will fight for it.

I acknowledge that public service is a privilege. We are not here for ourselves; we are all here for the people we represent. They deserve honesty, integrity and a government that works for them, not against them. Following the election, I was honoured to accept a call from the Premier, requesting that I take the portfolio of Attorney-General as well as be the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Integrity. While the role of attorney-general finds its roots in the 13th century—appearing in court to represent the King—the present day role is charged with overseeing the judicial system, providing vital protection of the interests of our state and representing the Queensland community as a whole.

As Attorney-General, my priorities include delivering a justice system that puts victims’ rights first and enhances community safety. I am focused on boosting the capacity of our justice services to expedite cases, increasing support and transparency for victims, strengthening regional access to justice, implementing reforms to enhance transparency and accountability and supporting initiatives that uphold public trust in government institutions. I was honoured to take on this additional responsibility on behalf of the people of Queensland.

It is a great privilege to be returned to this House as the member for Nanango and to be given the trust and responsibility of representing the amazing people of the Nanango electorate in what is my fifth term. The Nanango electorate, as I have said, is the heart of regional Queensland. It is strong. It is proud. It is built on the hard work of our farmers, small business owners, frontline workers, volunteers and families who simply want the best for their children. From Comminya to Cloyna, Kilkivan to Kumbia and, of course, Woolooga to Durong—

Mr Perrett interjected.

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: I will get to you, Minister for Primary Industries—and everywhere in between, it is the great people of the Nanango electorate who drive me each and every day in this place. I am in this House because of the people of the Nanango electorate and I will never take their support for granted.

I want to thank my incredible family: my amazing and wonderful husband, Jason, and our three incredible and amazing daughters Isabella, Lucy and Elke. They have walked this journey with me, and they know all too well the long hours, the missed dinners and the endless meetings, events and phone calls. Anyone with young adult or teenage children knows that when they actually decide to pick up the phone and call you you have to answer it. The number of times I have had to quickly text them and say, ‘It’s question time,’ goes to show they probably do not watch question time ever! Thank you, girls. Your father and I love you very much. We are so incredibly proud of the incredible humans you have turned out to be, even after my 12 years in this place. You are all in secure work, and it is quite amazing after the life we have given you.

I want to turn now to my amazing electorate staff. To Lenny, Sheree, Bronny, Steph and the two Caths: thank you, thank you, thank you. Your work is often behind the scenes and it is absolutely vital. You are the first voice that my constituents hear. When they call in need, which is often, it is your compassion, dedication and professionalism that make the difference. I know right now that you are watching. I know right now that the phone will be calling, so thank you.

I particularly want to acknowledge someone who has left my electorate office very recently— Belinda Pennell. Belinda was with me in the Nanango electorate from day one nearly 13 years ago, starting on this journey following my election to this place in 2012. Belinda’s service to the people of my electorate has not ended, however, as she is now assisting my good friend and electorate neighbour, the honourable member for Gympie. How proud are we that she is having to help him out as the Minister for Primary Industries! I am so proud of my electorate neighbour, the member for Gympie, to be elevated to the Minister for Primary Industries. It is a real boon and it is amazing for our region, for the Nanango electorate and for the Gympie electorate. I am honoured to give the amazing Belinda Pennell to my good friend to assist him in the hard work as she continues her diligent and faithful service to rural Queenslanders in that role.

It would be remiss of me not to take a moment to thank the many LNP volunteers and supporters who assisted in my election campaign last year. There were more than 100 of them, so unfortunately time does not permit me to list them all. However, there are a few individuals I must acknowledge. To my campaign manager, Zac, who not only works so extraordinarily hard but who took time off to stand in the rain and the sun and everything else, thank you so much. To my state electorate council chairman, Tom; my incredible treasurer, Susan; my incredibly supportive sister, Jackie, and John and the boys; Sandy from Nanango; David from Blackbutt; Chris, Graham and Robyn, Andrew, Dan, Ray, Warren, Julie and many, many more: we can only do this together, so I thank you very much. I know my former campaign manager Chris Andersen, whom I have mentioned in every speech in this House—

Mr Powell: He was at the Woodford show on the weekend.

Mrs FRECKLINGTON: He was at the Woodford show on the weekend. Thank you to you and your wife, Patricia. I know that Zac has done an amazing job following in your footsteps, but thank you for those years of service. To Zac and your team, I cannot thank you enough.

At the conclusion of this speech it is important that I do this. I reiterate what I said in my maiden speech in this place just over 13 years ago. I wish to thank the people of the Nanango electorate for giving me the honour of being their representative in this parliament. For those who voted for me, I hope my efforts over the next years will reward your faith. For those who chose otherwise, I will be working hard to earn your support. In either case, I am here to serve you.

Hon. SJ MILES (Murrumba—ALP) (Leader of the Opposition) (11.43 am): I am proud to have been chosen by the people of Murrumba to represent them in this House for another four years. It is a role I take great pride in. I want to thank them for giving me the chance to continue as their local MP. I want to thank my Labor colleagues for their support to continue as Queensland Labor leader. It is a role I have welcomed both for the new challenge it presents and for the opportunity to drive accountability, transparency and better outcomes for Queensland, because a government is only effective with proper scrutiny.

You have already heard from them on a number of occasions, but it would be remiss of me not to take this opportunity to welcome three new members to our team—the member for Sandgate, Bisma Asif; the member for Ipswich West, Wendy Bourne; and the member for South Brisbane, Barbara O’Shea. I know they will all be strong advocates for their community and for our shared Labor values. I want to thank the Labor members who were not re-elected for their work in this House. Their contributions made this House, their communities and Queensland a better place. Our Labor caucus is stronger for their time with us, and I know they will continue to represent their communities in some way.

It is my job now to listen to Queenslanders—for us to learn and to grow as a party and to apply those learnings to how we can serve the people of Queensland better. In my 10 months as premier of this state I showed Queenslanders who I am and what I believe in. Those values do not change just because the government has changed. I believe that Queensland households deserve a helping hand to get them through the hard times while doing what matters for the future. That is a Labor legacy that is saving Queenslanders hundreds of dollars every week.

There is no denying that Queensland is growing. We are growing so fast that our infrastructure is struggling to maintain pace. That is why investing in hospitals, roads, rail, housing and schools is so important. It is why Queensland’s Big Build is so important. As we continue to face national and global headwinds, we cannot stop building. Right now the biggest ever hospital build program is underway— or at least it was. Three new hospitals commenced under Labor, as did 11 major hospital expansions. Already we have seen the Crisafulli government undermine the importance of this program. We have the architect of the Newman government health cuts, the member for Clayfield, at the helm—the same person who sacked 4,400 health workers.

Queenslanders are rightfully scared their local hospital build will go under the knife to save money and scared their health staff will be on the chopping block too. When it comes to this government, no hospital is safe. Work has stopped at a number of hospital sites including Coomera and Redcliffe. Now we have a 12-month delay while the Crisafulli LNP government slice and dice the health and hospital plan with no clear answer on how many hospital beds we will get by 2028. We were promised 2,200 by then. It seems it will be much fewer.

We have also seen this commitment to cuts when it comes to housing. This Crisafulli government committed to deliver more social and affordable housing, yet one of the first acts of the Deputy Premier and the new housing minister was to cut housing. More than 600 homes, including over 100 social and affordable homes, gone—on the Gold Coast no less, one of our state’s fastest growing regions.

The short-sighted nimbyism from this government already is outstanding. There are now more than 1,000 homes that have been scrapped under this government including almost 300 affordable homes on the Gold Coast at Arundel, at Birtinya, at Tewantin and Redland Bay. With this attitude, how can young Queenslanders ever dream of breaking into the property market? With this attitude, where will vulnerable Queenslanders needing a safe place to call home go?

The Crisafulli government has a duty to deliver, but all we have seen so far is the groundwork laid for cuts—cuts to our front line, to services and to infrastructure this state needs. This LNP government claims to be all about action, but it appears the only action they have taken is a coordinated strike to the programs, services, budgets and big builds. Queenslanders need a government that builds for them. Now and for the future, it appears we will not get much of that from this LNP government.

Now we know the Crisafulli government was elected under a guise of integrity because, as the Premier said, when he says something it means something. Keeping the promises to Queenslanders at the election means something. It means something for those who voted for this government who were promised there would be no crime, who were promised there would be less debt, who were promised there would be no cuts. But we have already seen so many of these promises broken. It turns out that when the Premier says something it does not actually mean anything. Since becoming Premier we have seen the exact same song and dance we saw when Campbell Newman was elected. The Premier has been spending more time complaining about how hard governing is than actually getting on with the job.

The Premier has spent months softening Queenslanders up for hospital cuts. The Premier has complained relentlessly that the former government was building and expanding hospitals from Cairns to Coomera. The Premier has complained that the former government was investing in infrastructure— investing in infrastructure that will unlock the Queensland Renewable Energy Zone and critical minerals in the North West Minerals Province. The Premier has complained relentlessly about the construction of an underground train line that will transform how people move, live and interact in this great city. Instead of becoming Premier and delivering the projects this great state needs, the Premier is angling to cut or delay those same projects.

The Premier made a lot of promises during the election—a lot of promises he cannot keep. The Premier promised to reduce debt, increase spending and not cut one single project or sack one single worker. The maths simply do not add up. We also know the Premier’s costings had some whacky logic too: finding $7 billion in cuts to consultancy fees when the entire government spends $50 million on consultancies. That money is simply not there, especially because their saviour, Queensland Government Consulting, has not even been established. Queensland Government Consulting was due to find more than $700 million of savings this current financial year. There is only one week left. Where is that money?

I know the Treasurer will say that these cuts include relief teachers, locum doctors, contract prison officers, expert engineers and the fresh food and vegetables that feed patients in our hospitals, but that is not what the Premier promised before the election. The Premier promised that $7 billion would be from consultants—the ‘big four’, he said. As I said, the ‘big four’ do not even get $50 million a year from the government. This means the Premier has a $7 billion black hole that was there before he even set foot in 1 William Street. Just look at the Premier’s health plan. He endorsed Labor’s 2032 Health Workforce Strategy but refused to include the ancillary things: 12,000 ancillary health workers. The House knows that Queenslanders can only judge the Premier on his actions, but his broken promises have revealed that, when he says something, it means nothing. His actions show that he will cut services, cut projects and cripple our state.

We must also keep the Premier honest about his promise to keep progressive coal royalties intact. Let’s hope that promise is more robust than his promise to keep his cabinet intact. That is why our job on this side is so important. It is maybe also why Julian Simmonds had to be employed as the acting CEO of EDQ. As the biggest campaigner against progressive coal royalties, it was safer for the Premier to use taxpayer funds to put Julian by his side so they could quietly go about cutting coal royalties without Australians for Prosperity promoting their win on a billboard.

The Premier’s promise to also deliver projects on time and on budget is a wonderful forward slogan but it is gaslighting Queenslanders. The Premier’s word has been proven to mean nothing, which means that every decision he makes will show Queenslanders what he really believes in. The Premier was elected under a guise of integrity; however, as we have seen in the last few months, the Premier’s definitive answers during the election were not definitive at all. He promised heavy rail to Maroochydore by 2032. I have laboured this point, but it was a promise made no ifs, no buts and no shortcuts, and now we get a bus. He promised no new stadiums, yet the 2032 plan now features billions of dollars for new stadiums. It was also promised there would be no public-private partnerships and that funding would be maintained within the $7.1 billion budget. That could not be further from reality now.

He promised to be open and transparent. That has proven to be the biggest farce of them all. There have been cuts to health programs like Ready, Set, Grow—which we brought to life and have now been reversed. Workers were told they were losing their jobs at the Downer Maryborough factory due to a failure to secure a contract with Queensland Rail. There have been calls to release expert advice provided to the government—experts the Premier said he would listen to. What is to hide?

This government, in its short tenure, has become quite good at hiding things like a massive explosion at a coal-fired power station. The Treasurer failed to mention it in his big energy speech, which even mentioned the very same coal-fired power station. He did not think that was a big deal. He says that he was led to believe it was far less serious, such a non-event it was not worth telling anyone about. That same week we learned that the figures used by this LNP government for the CopperString project were fudged. Powerlink had to come out and clarify for their stakeholders that actually the cost of the original scope of the project had not changed. Is it incompetence on behalf of this Premier and his Treasurer that they cannot get those figures right? The CopperString kerfuffle came after global ratings agencies called out the midyear budget for being inflated and political. I mean, we suspected the LNP’s costings were cooked, but that was all but confirmed. We know the Premier’s integrity in business was questionable at best, but I thought he would take a different approach when he moved into the top job.

This highlights the reason Labor’s role in this House has never been more important. We must scrutinise every single word the government says and, more importantly, we must scrutinise everything this government does. It is our job on this side of the House to shine a light in the darkness and inform Queenslanders. It is important. Because the Premier was such a small target during the election campaign, we have no clue what he actually stands for. He consistently refuses to answer questions. He continues to get off lightly, but when the rubber hits the road the Premier will be held responsible for the decisions he makes and for the actions of every single government department that reports to his ministry—like the departments of health, education and transport and main roads, which they have tried to distance themselves from recently, bizarrely stating that they are not part of the government. He will be held responsible for the decisions made in the budget today. As they get on with the job of making the big decisions, so will those of us on this side of the House get on with the job of holding them to account for their promises.

I am proud of what I have been able to deliver for my electorate of Murrumba, including: new school halls at Kallangur and Mango Hill; a health hub at Dakabin State High School; and new classrooms at Griffin, Kallangur and Mango Hill. There is so much more: the Kallangur satellite hospital; the new car park at Mango Hill station; and the big Bruce Highway upgrade, which anyone who has driven that road knows is much needed. There is much at risk too. We are already suffering from the decision of this government to suspend works at the Redcliffe Hospital, and who knows what the new QTRIP will mean for our Bruce Highway upgrade. People in Murrumba are good, hardworking people. They deserve the infrastructure a growing community needs. I will not stop fighting for them.

I will finish by thanking my team for their hard work and dedication during what has been an exceptional period of time, both in my ministerial office and my electorate office, as well as the volunteers in my community and now those staff in the opposition leader’s office. I thank the union movement for their continued support. I thank Labor state secretary Kate Flanders—she is state secretary for a couple of more days—for her dedication to that role. It is no secret that Kate and I have been great mates for a very long time. In her time as state secretary, Kate has dedicated her time to changing the lives of as many Queenslanders as possible.

Importantly, I thank my family: Kim, Sam, Aiden and Bridie. You are a big part of the reason I am here. I am fighting to make Queensland a better place for them and create opportunities. That work is not done. I will keep up the fight today and every day.

Mr BENNETT (Burnett—LNP) (11.59 am): I thank the opposition for coming in to listen to my speech in the address-in-reply; it is nice to have you all here!

Honourable members interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Krause): Member for Burnett, just wait a minute, please. I will take this opportunity to let the member for Logan know that he is on a warning until the break.

Mr BENNETT: Mr Deputy Speaker, I want to congratulate you and Mr Speaker on your role. It has been a great privilege to see you roll on with that job. I want to welcome all the new members. It is a pleasure to serve the great state of Queensland with you all. I want to thank the LNP team, including our tireless liaison officer, Nathan. I thank our leadership team on a great and dignified campaign: David Crisafulli, Jarrod Bleijie, Deb, Brent, Bryson and Tony. They were all shadow ministers who did a great job to build a platform and deliver election success. This team worked hard and continues to work hard every day for the people of Queensland. What a privilege it has been to hear many of the first speeches from our fantastic new members on all sides of the parliament. They all share a passion and drive that Queenslanders deserve and expect.

It is an honour to be back in the 58th Parliament. It is never lost on me that it is a privilege to be elected to such a significant role—a role that comes with much responsibility, trust and expectation. As I look back over the photos, messages of support and the sheer amount of work that has gone into the last 13 years, I feel immense pride and gratitude. The significance of what has been achieved in the Burnett area and across Queensland has not been lost on me. I am humbled by the support and honoured to serve our community as the member for Burnett. After five elections, I am still blown away that I continue to have so much support from the people who live in the most amazing place in Queensland, and I could not be more proud to serve you. I want to thank the Premier for asking me to serve as Chair of the Primary Industries and Resources Committee. I will take on that role and responsibility; the work we have to do is immense.

The seat of Burnett is home to amazing agricultural and tourism enterprises: the outer islands of Lady Elliot and Lady Musgrave, the Mon Repos visitors’ centre, where the amazing nesting sea turtles can be seen, and Bundaberg Rum and Bundaberg Brewed Drinks. We have the amazing coastal communities of Woodgate, Childers, Buxton, Apple Tree Creek Elliott Heads, Coral Cove, Innes Park, Bargara, Burnett Heads, Moore Park Beach, the Hummock, Gooburrum, South Kolan, Bucca, Sharon, Givelda, Avondale, Yandaran, Rosedale, Miriam Vale, Bororen, Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy, Turkey Beach and of course our destination of choice as a family, the Broadwater and Baffle Creek.

I want to thank all of the volunteers and supporters for their efforts. Thanks go to my campaign team and Burnett SEC members. Thanks Fiona, my wife who puts in a mountain of work not only during the elections but over the last 13 years and five election campaigns. I thank Tony, Sven, Brian and all the team who continue to put so much in every year to make sure the Burnett SEC is the strongest it can be. I thank you very much. I have been married for 38 years and I have three terrific kids and we enjoy six grandchildren in our lives. We are lucky that they all now reside in Bundaberg.

A government member interjected.

Mr BENNETT: We love them very much and thank them for all that they do. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank a dear friend and former Burnett electorate officer, Kath. Kath was supporting our community in her role with me. Each day she went above and beyond to help residents, groups, friends, colleagues and myself. Kath recently passed and I know that she will be missed by many in the House and members of our community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kath’s family. Kath was part of a team which always strives for excellence and never gives up, despite some of the challenges faced. As expected, the recent campaign was hard fought and I think many of us underestimated how difficult it would be. It was a dirty campaign, which I have spoken about, which had a personal impact on many, including Kath. Again, our thoughts go out to Kath Sowter and her family. I thank her sincerely for her years of service. I wish her family all the very best.

I want to thank Keith Pitt and the many staff who took leave to work on the state campaign. They are a great bunch in that office, which is now David Batt’s office. I want to put on record my thanks and gratitude to Keith and Allison for their years of service to our region as the member for Hinkler. I wish them all the very best in their exciting new career. We will be watching that career with interest as that progresses.

The election was a referendum on the failures of the tired Labor government’s performance. We all saw the looming storm clouds across our state, with cost-of-living challenges and pressures on businesses that came with rising electricity prices and increased input costs. We heard time and time again that everyday families were working through those bills at the kitchen table as they kept on rising. Locally, home ownership is a serious challenge that many face. Home ownership rates are down, while the number of families living rough under our bridges is up, which is unacceptable. We made it clear that we want our locals to be in their own homes and we have committed to making that a reality.

Unlike those opposite, we listened and we heard the aspirations of Queenslanders. When people want to own their own home, we have to make that a reality. We are going to give them those opportunities with the first ever state shared equity scheme. We promised during the campaign to remove taxes for the first time in a generation, and we have. What has been noticeable has been our commitment to work with the private sector and charities. We are committed to ensuring there is adequate land supply by releasing infrastructure partnerships to increase supply and get them to market.

What Queenslanders voted for was knowing that we share their aspirations for a home, and we gave them an opportunity to reach this goal. Our government’s drive is on aspiration, rewarding those who are willing to have a go and helping those less fortunate who fall through the cracks. It is infrastructure supply partnerships that will get locals into the market, it is more supply which creates downward pressure on rent, and it is finally acknowledging that we must work with our community housing providers—which should have happened a long time ago—and the private sector to make things happen and make sure that every dollar of the Housing Investment Fund builds new supply.

I look forward to working with the community to deliver on the commitments made for both Bundaberg and the Burnett. I look forward to working with CQUniversity to develop the Wide Bay Sports Academy. This is a $300,000 commitment from the campaign that will enable talented young athletes an opportunity to develop their sporting potential without having to leave the Wide Bay. The academy works with 13- to 19-year-old local athletes in areas like strength and conditioning, nutrition education, sports integrity and injury prevention to help them bridge the gap between being a talented young athlete and a state level athlete. This is an exciting opportunity to see our young athletes thrive.

I also look forward to working with Des at the Burnett Bowls Club on a major upgrade to improve facilities for their players and supporters. This $500,000 upgrade will see improved disability access at the front entrance, a toilet with disability access, electronic doors at the entrance to provide better access for people with mobility devices, improved energy efficiency with new lighting and cold rooms, new air conditioning, updated floor coverings and furniture, and the removal of asbestos within the building. Our commitment will ensure this 77-year-old club is futureproofed and ready to continue serving the community.

I give a huge shout-out to Dave Facer at Brave Brothers. He and his team go above and beyond for our community around men’s mental health and suicide awareness through their mentors. I was proud to stand alongside our candidate for Bundaberg, Bree Watson, to make a $142,000 funding commitment, which is being honoured, to help deliver Brave Place Safe Space.

The team at Bundaberg Netball have been huge advocates for our region’s athletes and they are doing a great job. I am proud to announce that the Crisafulli government will deliver a funding boost of over $600,000 to improve their facility. The works will include new LED lighting to meet current training and playing standards, the resurfacing of the all-weather courts and the installation of accessibility pathways around the blue and bitumen courts. Needless to say, there are plenty of exciting times ahead for Bundaberg Netball at their courts.

I want to do a shout-out to the Winfield community who raised concerns about the boat ramp at Rocky Point. We have unfortunately seen many accidents and incidents happen there. We are committed to making sure that project is upgraded and meets the community’s expectations going forward. Over the next few months, projects will start to come to fruition. We look forward to making sure that we enjoy the benefits of these projects.

Mr Stevens: Kalki Moon Distillery.

Mr BENNETT: Yes, Kalki is coming to parliament; I take that interjection.

Bundaberg will also be the location of one of the nine new Regional Reset programs as part of our $50 million commitment to tackle youth crime across Queensland and restore safety where you live. These out-of-control youths were veering towards a life of crime and we are happy that Bundaberg has been selected as part of that. The Bundaberg program will offer one- to three-week live-in interventions to reset the lives of youth who are demonstrating high-risk behaviour such as aggression, truancy or substance abuse. It will divert them away from criminal activity. Early intervention is not a one-size-fits-all. Some kids will require more intensive intervention to rise above a life of crime, and that is where these Regional Reset programs will come in. I am proud of the promises we made to the electorate and the region. One of those promises was that we will make people safer where they live. Some of our new laws have now been implemented, with more work to be done across Queensland to make sure people are safe and their property remains in their possession.

On a not-so-nice note, I cannot let the actions of the Labor candidate in Burnett go unchallenged. This was the second election where she was rude and made outrageous statements. I say to her: your personal attacks are disgusting and relentless—shame on you. For the record, there is no domestic violence in my home and my wife does not have a brain injury as a result of a car accident, as she consistently claimed for weeks and weeks.

It was bitterly disappointing to not achieve an election result in Bundaberg. I acknowledge that the member for Bundaberg is in the chamber. I do need to do a shout-out to our candidate, Bree Watson, who did work extremely hard in a difficult campaign, but Bree retains her dignity and integrity going forward, and I am sure she will excel in whatever career she elects to pursue in the future.

Finally, to my staff: I thank you for your assistance and professional support. They are the brains trust behind what we do and I never underestimate the fact that Amity, Gemma and Tyler are the team that do such a mountain of work.

I say to the region that there is a lot of work to do after years and years of neglect under those opposite. Let’s work to make our region even better. Let’s work to ensure we respect our health workers, police, teachers and schools. Our agriculture sector cannot be underestimated and our primary producers deserve all the accolades they get as we drive toward our agricultural endeavours. Our tourism sector needs our support. Our region needs water security support. We need better roads and we need to continue to put the focus on the cost-of-living pressures. I also want to do a shout-out to the arts and festivals communities around the Bundaberg and Burnett regions. They do so much.

It is a pleasure to be a part of this 58th Parliament. I share the role with a lot of colleagues, new and old. I look forward to continuing to serve Burnett as best I can.

Hon. G GRACE (McConnel—ALP) (12.10 pm): I rise to deliver my address-in-reply. I am extremely proud to stand in this House as the re-elected member for McConnel. As many others have said, it is an honour and privilege to be back here, and I believe this is the sixth occasion I have delivered my address-in-reply speech to this House.

McConnel, and before that Brisbane Central, has been my home for my whole life—I grew up in Spring Hill, across the road from St Paul’s Presbyterian Church on St Pauls Terrace, with my family moving to the New Farm/Fortitude Valley area in 1972—and it is where I still live. Honestly, I could not think of living anywhere else. I absolutely love my electorate and absolutely love representing them here in this House. I do feel very privileged that the electors of McConnel have overwhelmingly endorsed me as their representative in this place and I want to assure the constituents of McConnel that I will represent their interests as I have done and, in doing so, will hold the government to account at every opportunity.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the new Speaker; I have not been able to do that until now. It is always an honour to be elected and elevated to Speaker. I congratulate all members of the House, both new and old, on their election. It really is worth something to put yourself up for election. I respect this institution, I respect this place, and I respect those who put themselves forward. Congratulations to all of you.

I congratulate those who have left us as well, whether they retired or lost their position. It would have been an honour and privilege for them to have been here, but it can be difficult times when you not only lose an election but also retire at the same time.

I welcome our new Labor members for South Brisbane, Ipswich West and Sandgate. I thank everyone for their efforts when they are elected to this place.

I also want to place on record my appreciation for the excellent directors-general and departmental staff whom I have worked with over many years and in many portfolios and my previous ministerial staff. I thank them for their efforts. Sometimes politics can be cruel, as ministerial staff lose their jobs when there is a change of government. Both sides of politics have endured that in the past. They worked tirelessly over the many years that I was a minister, and I particularly want to thank my two chiefs of staff, Sharon and Katelyn. The rest of the staff were absolutely amazing, and many of them are still with me in one way or another. It is really great that I have worked with so many dedicated, professional and expert people.

Again, the McConnel campaign was hard fought. It is never easy to win your seat. It was interesting in this election: the pre-poll votes in my electorate, those votes before the actual day, amounted to 50.22 per cent, indicative of an extraordinary trend that is happening. Around 18,000 of the 36,000 people cast their votes early—a very high pre-poll vote. Locally in the campaign, we made over 15,000 phone calls, we knocked on over 10,000 doors, we put up hundreds of yard signs, but, best of all, there were over 200 local volunteers involved in a truly community campaign.

I want to call out some of the aggressive tactics that are often deployed during an election campaign, and others have referred to them. We need to ensure that we conduct ourselves respectfully. It was great that I got on very well with all the candidates, from both the LNP and the Greens, as the two main ones who were around most of the time, but, at the end of the day, I call out the aggressive tactics that were deployed, particularly by the Greens, during the campaign. They are not acceptable and are not welcomed by constituents, and I think they should rethink those tactics the next time around. I certainly will not put up with it and I know that many in my electorate will not put up with it either.

I will start on the thankyous because I want to make sure I get them all out. I want to start by thanking my campaign manager, Sam Jones. He did an absolutely fantastic job, coordinating everybody—like I said, there were over 200 volunteers—during the time of the campaign. There are so many people I wish to acknowledge: my treasurer, Matthew; and field organisers, Fahima and Seren, who came over from WA. I particularly congratulate our ALP State Secretary, Kate Flanders, who did a great job during the campaign, and our party organiser, Hayden Sheppard, who also worked tirelessly ensuring we did all the right things.

I had some great people on my digital team such as Ben. I thank Garry, Joel and Paula, who were in my office at the time, for holding the reins while we were out there day in, day out walking the streets of all the suburbs in my electorate. I thank all the hardworking members of the local branches— Kelvin Grove, New Farm, Fortitude Valley and Gardens Point. I thank the union movement for their support.

I acknowledge all the people who worked on my campaign. I know I will miss some out, but I will mention some names: Robert, Mary, Paula, Noel, Michael, Jay, Rob, Maria, Madonna, Richard, Peter, Sebastian, Annette, Matthew, Carly, Dylan, David and Anne. Thank you to the booth captains in Kurt, Michael, Stella Donatini—she was an absolute rock on my campaign; she is absolutely amazing—Peter Casey, Robyn, Joel and Hudson. Other volunteers that were there were Peter and Elizabeth. Ex-senator Claire Moore did an outstanding job. She was there for hours and was fantastic during the campaign. There was Pema, Ash, Gareth, Michael, Casey, Sam, Frankie, Frank and Alex, not to mention Phil, Mike and Yasmin and many others as well. We know in this place that we cannot do this alone. When you have a team of volunteers like that, there is no doubt that we are not alone and it is so good every day to have them around.

I leave the best to last, which is my family. My sisters were a wonderful support during the campaign. They had a great night at the celebration party. In particular, I honestly could not do this without my husband, Michael. He is an absolute machine when it comes to campaigning.

A government member: Needs a medal.

Ms GRACE: I will take that interjection from those opposite. He is a good fellow. He is a good egg. They must have broken the mould when they made him, and I say that in all sincerity. He is just so supportive, up every morning working endlessly—nothing is too hard. He will get out there with those yard signs. There is not a person who wants a yard sign who does not get a yard sign when Michael is around, and sometimes whether they want it or not. I kid! But Michael will also cajole those into ensuring that we do that. He is my rock. He is absolutely marvellous and I cannot say enough to thank my husband, Michael.

Of course, I have the loving support of my adult child, Bear, who is always only a phone call away. I think they are getting a bit sick of us at the moment because every time Michael and I are in the car together, we always ring Bear, sometimes many times during the day or the week because they are in Melbourne. They are an amazing support. I am a very proud mother and Michael is a very proud father of a non-binary trans child who is on a journey and whom we absolutely love. I could not do this job without their dedicated support. Thank you to both Michael and Bear.

Can I offer congratulations on our recent federal government win. I think Anthony Albanese ran an absolutely fantastic campaign. I am so happy to have the member for Brisbane, Madonna Jarrett, now occupying the office at Albion which I visited last week. I also congratulate all of the other new members across Queensland. It was fantastic to see such a great win. The member for Bulimba together with the member for Griffith got up, as well as the member for Bonner, which is a fantastic win for the last government. Congratulations to them as well.

I was very proud to be a part of the former Miles Labor government and to deliver real change. Over the last 10 years—I looked at our population—we have grown by a million people. When we are using statistics and talking about percentages, we have to bear in mind that we have had an extraordinary growth in our population—500,000 of those came in the last four years post COVID— because people were coming to the best state in the country. The manner in which we handled COVID is a testament to what we did to keep Queenslanders safe. What we did was absolutely extraordinary and no-one should say anything but. There were a lot of attacks coming from down south and a lot of naysayers about what we were doing. At the end of the day, we kept Queensland safe and we made it one of the best states in the country.

I am very proud of our real action on climate change, with respect to publicly owned renewables and expanded protection for the Great Barrier Reef. We invested record amounts in infrastructure, particularly in my electorate with the new Fortitude Valley State Secondary College, which I saved from being sold off by the LNP government. It was the first high school built in the inner city—think of the growth in the inner city—for 50 years. We had a great progressive social reform agenda: protecting a woman’s right to choose; supporting marriage equality; introducing voluntary assisted dying laws; and outlawing coercive control.

We started building Cross River Rail. We were tackling homelessness and delivering fairer rental reforms, which is very important. We had our Labor initiative of $200 FairPlay vouchers—you can rebrand them any way you want but, at the end of the day, they are a Labor initiative. We had free kindy, free TAFE and 20 per cent off rego, and never forget: Labor introduced 50-cent fares. Others may want to claim them. They all want to claim the great ideas. They invent crisis in every other area— whether it is true or not—and they come in here with outlandish claims about no teachers in schools. I cannot believe I even heard the Premier say that. As for there being no staff in hospitals, you have to be kidding. As if the people of Queensland believe any of that rubbish. At the end of the day, these are great Labor initiatives and I have not heard one new decent idea from those opposite since they have been elected.

As the education minister for six years, I am most proud of the investment that we made in schools. We delivered, as I said, many new schools. I believe the number is 29 in 10 years—29 new schools. I see a lot of members in this place right now who benefited from those schools in our fastest growing areas. That is an average of three a year—an absolutely incredible result that is a record investment in schools. For any of those opposite to come in here and suggest otherwise is misleading this place. We believe in world-class education. I and the member for Bulimba, the recent ex-education minister, worked on getting that federal deal up. We negotiated that for nearly three years. Let me tell you: it takes more negotiation than two cannoli to sign that one off! I will not step back. The delivery of that deal was the work of me and the ex-minister, the member for Bulimba. The LNP then ended up signing it.

I cannot let the opportunity slip: we have air-conditioned every school. They would be waiting until 2028 for the LNP initiative. We did it on time—no, it was before time—and on budget. We did not take ‘no’ from the department. We delivered 200,000 solar panels on school roofs at the same time to help meet the cost. What an outstanding result. Can I say: we have done a fantastic job in delivering, and I will not hear anything to the contrary from those opposite. I despaired today when I heard the Minister for Youth Justice talk about a new school called ‘crime prevention school’. I honestly hope and pray to God every night that not one of my relatives ever has to attend a crime prevention school. Talk about labelling a child for the rest of their life. ‘Where did you go to school?’ ‘I went to the crime prevention school.’ Can you imagine what kids will do with that? Can you imagine how that labels those young kids?

Honourable members interjected.

Ms GRACE: For those interjecting, I hope none of your relatives—whether you are on the other side or on this side—ever go to a school with a name like that. There are other ways that we can help children; you do not give them a label them for life which they have to carry. My heart broke when I heard that term. I cannot tell you, as an ex-education minister, how shocking that is.

In respect of IR achievements, we decriminalised wage theft, we included labour hire regulations, we streamlined trading hours and we led the nation in the fight against silicosis. We have the best workplace health and safety laws in the country, the best WorkCover laws in the country. We have the best paid public servants because we know how to bargain. We had agreements that even met the high inflation cost-of-living adjustment. I am yet to see one agreement that those opposite have negotiated. We know firsthand what it takes to deliver, and we delivered in spades for workers right throughout Queensland.

When someone is sick or injured, they want the world’s best health care. I notice that Ali France, the new member for Dixon, is passionate about our plan to build a world-class Queensland cancer centre. We need to do that. These people suffer a lot, and we need to make sure we provide that cancer centre. I am very proud, staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ community as a proud mum and I will continue to be so. I stand on the fantastic results that we got on issues such as same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption and the rest.

I know how important housing is. We had a fantastic plan to deliver. I just hope that the government gets out of opposition and starts to act like a government and deliver for the people of Queensland. In respect of racing, it was an honour. We doubled that industry. We put in sustainable funding that was the envy of every other state and territory, and they followed us. It was fantastic to be able to do that as well. Anyone who says that the racing industry is not content with what we did in government is misleading this House.

I am very pleased that coercive control laws came into effect on 26 May this year. I cannot believe, when you look at the speech given by the Governor about what the government was doing, that we had an extraordinary move to stop any discussion on abortion rights—unbelievable. They closed down the pill-testing site in my electorate, CheQpoint, which many professionals and experts support, as do doctors and communities alike. It is about saving lives, not burying your head in the sand.

They abolished the state’s Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry without even talking to the chair or its members—extraordinary. They banned gender affirmation health care for vulnerable young Queenslanders. I dread to think where my child would be if they required that at the moment in Queensland. That is absolutely heartless. They covered up an explosion at Callide Power Station and backflipped when it was brought to their attention. They backflipped on respectful relationships and health education program Ready, Set, Grow—and we will call it out every time they do. They cut funding after the Environmental Defenders Office were told they had nothing to fear, yet here we are and they have had their funding cut. We had to read between the lines: ‘Sorry, did you think we were going to do it long term? No, it is only for this financial year.’ How cruel. How absolutely terrible.

They politicised the Queensland Redistribution Commission by appointing the Deputy Premier’s hand-picked director-general, John Sosso, ignoring the opposition’s concerns and objections and even the warnings from Tony Fitzgerald. They continually play the blame game and are incapable of delivering what they promise on time and on budget, claiming juiced-up budget figures with no details, no evidence and no reports. That was even highlighted by Standard & Poor’s questioning whether the MYFER was real or politics. Let me tell them: it is just politics. There were broken promises to my constituency regarding no new stadiums—12 times. I was telling them that is not true; they were going to build one. Guess what? I was right; they were wrong. A new stadium is going to be built in Victoria Park as well as other infrastructure with no consultation and no plan to do so.

There are broken promises on the rail line to Maroochydore. Remember they said they were going to build it in spite of everyone telling them they could not? But no, they were going to do it. To add salt to the wound, Queensland is becoming blue, not maroon. What a waste of time and money. How ridiculous. I thought it was an April Fools’ Day joke but, no, it is true. It is an honour to be in this House.

Hon. TJ NICHOLLS (Clayfield—LNP) (Minister for Health and Ambulance Services) (12.31 pm): I want to acknowledge and reply to the terrific speech of Her Excellency the Governor at the opening of parliament, now some nine months ago. It was a pleasure to be there for the first time in a long time to listen to an opening speech that set out a clear plan for the future of Queensland that had clear ideas and a clear way forward that would deliver for the people of Queensland, not just for select groups of people, whether they are in the labour movement or otherwise—something that actually addressed what Queenslanders said was the most important thing to them at the time.

It is a delight to respond to Her Excellency’s address at the opening of the 58th Parliament. It is also interesting to note that this was the first time the Governor was representing the King of Australia, King Charles III. Parliamentarians from the 33rd Parliament in 1953 until the 57th Parliament in 2020 all swore allegiance to the Queen of Australia. This time around this was the first for us all here to swear allegiance to the King of Australia, King Charles III.

Mr Deputy Speaker, I want you to pass on to Mr Speaker my thanks for the way he has diligently and with great aplomb and enthusiasm applied himself to the task of Speaker of the 58th Parliament since November. Mr Deputy Speaker McDonald, I also say thank you for the way in which you have calmly and methodically managed the House on the occasions that you have been in the chair. I have appreciated on occasions your guidance and on a number of times—actually, never—your protection. Nonetheless, I do want to congratulate you on your role. As a former sergeant in charge, I am sure you are bringing a lot of your skills to the chair.

It is good, though, that the member for Condamine is in the chair and is doing such a terrific job in that role. I also want to acknowledge his hard work in this place since he was elected as the member for Condamine in 2015 in a number of roles, including as a shadow minister. The Speaker worked on a number of committees as the shadow minister and continues to serve his community with pride, effectiveness and dedication, and that is a good thing. He has, as he said in his first speech, worked his way from the back of the chamber to the front. That has been a diligent and a long piece of work and he is thoroughly deserving of the support from this side of the House for the role—not always easy—that he has willingly accepted.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank the Premier for the great honour—a somewhat surprising honour, I might say, on the morning of—that he bestowed upon me in appointing me the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services. As I have often said in these circumstances, he has been very full in his support and very willing to listen to new ideas and to work to provide easier access to health services and to help heal Labor’s health crisis. I want to thank him for the role that traditionally people would not have seen me in, but I have enjoyed learning a lot about it and have enjoyed making new friends and delivering services throughout the state.

A core commitment of our LNP team during last year’s election campaign was to end the crisis in health and hospitals after Labor’s decade in office—and crisis it was. We were elected to provide a fresh start for Queensland. Every Queenslander, as I often say, from Currumbin to the cape and from Brisbane to Bedourie and beyond, deserves access to world-class health services. It does not matter whether they are in a health clinic on the border with the Northern Territory or whether they are sitting right here in the centre of Brisbane at the Royal Brisbane or at the PA; they deserve world-class health services. Since the election, the LNP government has been working hard at unravelling the mess that was left behind by those opposite. We inherited—and it is important to remember this—the worst ambulance ramping numbers in Australia at over 45 per cent—let’s never forget that—and a record waitlist for elective surgery.

Ms Grace: Yeah and it’s still there.

Mr NICHOLLS: I hear the member for McConnel denying these numbers, but the numbers on the elective surgery waitlist almost doubled from 35,000 in 2015—

Ms GRACE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. That was incorrect. I take offence and I ask it to be withdrawn.

Mr NICHOLLS: I withdraw. The member for McConnel was a member of a government that saw the worst numbers in elective surgery waiting, from 35,000 in 2015 to 66,000 by the end of 2024. The member for McConnel was a member of the government that oversaw those numbers. She sat around the cabinet table. She was there at every decision. She looked at it every step of the way and that is the result: a 100 per cent increase in elective surgery waiting lists and a list of nearly 300,000 Queenslanders waiting to see a specialist. That is the record of the Labor government that the member for McConnel was a part of every step of the way. They also failed to deliver critical infrastructure that our Hospital Rescue Plan is now set to deliver.

Mr Bailey: The cuts plan.

Mr NICHOLLS: I hear the member for Miller, who has strolled in. I knew he would come. I threw the hook out there and, like a goldfish, he came bubbling along to jump onto the hook. There he goes.

Mr BAILEY: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. I take personal offence. The minister should not sledge and he should withdraw.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr McDonald): Member for Clayfield—

Mr NICHOLLS: I withdraw. I heard the member for Miller come in and start interjecting from his seat over there. I think it pays to remind the House and those who are fortunate to be listening to me today that the member for Miller had to stand up and apologise for misleading the House in relation to false claims he made in this place. He is a member self-described as foolish. He described himself as a foolish minister who made mistakes, whether it was recording information on his phone or whether it was deleting information that he was lucky he was not prosecuted for, according to the CCC. That is the member for Miller’s record in this place.

Mr BAILEY: Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise to a point of order. Once again the minister is going low. I find what he is saying inaccurate and personally offensive. I was cleared on those matters, and I ask that he withdraw.

Mr NICHOLLS: I withdraw. I am moving on. The member for Miller comes in here, having previously had to apologise for misleading the House—with all the record that the member for Miller has—and provides no solutions.

Ms Grace interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for McConnel, not while you are leaving the chamber, thank you.

Mr NICHOLLS: Exactly. We know what happens to people who leave the chamber without acknowledging properly, don’t we? We remember the member for Miller on that score as well. That is the member for Miller’s style—not even observing the simple courtesies of this place in acknowledging the chair while departing the chamber. Let me get back to Labor’s record, as bad as it was, including their failure to deliver on infrastructure that people could believe in.

We came to government with a plan to treat, diagnose and cure Labor’s health crisis and to restore health services that Queenslanders deserve. What did we do? We eliminated the GP tax that Labor had in place. We published real-time hospital data. Something that Labor said could not be done we did within 100 days. We assessed staff levels across regional maternity services to understand the gaps left behind by Labor. Let’s not forget: as I said in question time this morning, Labor left Biloela without birthing services for over a thousand days, shut birthing services at Gladstone and had failed to restore birthing services in Cooktown.

Mr Bailey interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Miller, your interjections are not being taken.

Mr NICHOLLS: That is the record of a Labor government, for the vast majority of which the member for Miller sat around the cabinet table—for a decade. Let us not forget that that is the Labor record over that period of time. We are now acting—and have acted in the first nine months, as the member for Callide knows—to deliver those services. We listened to frontline clinicians—over 3,000 employees of those services, the people who actually work in them—and renamed satellite health centres to reflect the services they deliver. Imagine asking the people who work there what they thought about the name! They overwhelmingly told us that they wanted to rename them as satellite health centres.

Mr Bailey interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Miller, your interjections are not being taken.

Mr NICHOLLS: It was not like the sham renaming undertaken by those opposite with respect to the Children’s Hospital. We did not have people sitting at computer keyboards pressing the ‘enter’ key—

Mr Head: Rigged.

Mr NICHOLLS: Rigged. We actually went out with a proper survey which asked frontline clinicians what they thought the name should be. We have delivered on those commitments. We have identified the most appropriate sites for additional CT and MRI machines to provide faster diagnostics and to reduce the need for patients to travel to another facility. We will be having a lot more to say about that over the next couple of months.

When it comes to diagnosing, to treating and to curing, the LNP Crisafulli government has wasted no time. We are cleaning up the mess that was left behind by the Labor Party and their failed members—by people who self-excluded themselves on the way through, people who knew their future was limited. We are getting on with the job of delivering easier access to health services no matter where Queenslanders might live across this great state. There will be more about that when the budget comes out this afternoon. Boy, is it going to be a cracker!

I am grateful to the electors of Clayfield for the opportunity to continue to serve Clayfield as a member of the team delivering the change Queenslanders overwhelmingly wanted in October last year. This is the seventh occasion I have been elected by the good people of Clayfield. Of course, the first time I ran as a former Brisbane City councillor, having resigned my position as a Brisbane City councillor to take on the challenge of beating the then Labor member for the seat of Clayfield, which I am happy to say I did—not as happy as my bank manager was at the time. Nonetheless, I have continued to be able to serve the people of Clayfield, and I want to thank them for their ongoing support in what have been on a number of occasions some hotly contested election battles.

It is no surprise that inner urban seats are not what they once were and the demographics are changing. Nonetheless, I thank the people of Clayfield. I have been keen to support them over a lengthy period of time—for the better part of 18 years, including two terms on the Brisbane City Council. There we saw another terrible Labor administration—the member for Miller was a part of that at the time— lose, and deservedly so. The member for Miller has a deserved reputation for losing. I was very happy to be part of the LNP council team that has been re-elected for more than 20 years. What an outstanding record that might be. In fact, I understand that the Labor team in council are now so dispirited that they have failed to turn up for budget information sessions. At the council equivalent of estimates, the Labor team did not turn up yesterday to ask questions. Imagine that. That is the quality of the Labor Party in the 21st century.

I am grateful for the support I have received from the voters of Clayfield. I also acknowledge all of those new members of this parliament. I met many of them on the campaign trail, and it is so nice to see them here today. Whether I was in Townsville, Mackay or Rockhampton, it was terrific to campaign with hardworking local representatives. I pay tribute to them. I know that some people on both sides of the chamber lost their seats, and I want to acknowledge their service. Being an elected representative is no easy task, so I acknowledge those who lost their seats. Some we obviously will miss more than others, but I do acknowledge the service everyone puts in to representing their communities.

We had tremendous wins, as I said. The seat of Mackay had been held by Labor for more than a century, since Forgan Smith in 1915. What a welcome addition the member for Mackay has been to the team as someone who represents his community. Even at the height of Joh’s popularity, Mackay was held by Labor.

Mr Stevens: And Rockhampton.

Mr NICHOLLS: And Rockhampton, as the member for Mermaid Beach says. We know the stories of crime and the crime crisis in Mackay. Police minister Dan Purdie and I went up there a number of times and we are delivering. Pumicestone elected the youngest woman ever to the Queensland parliament, after a shameful campaign by the Labor Party—a shameful campaign that diminished not the member for Pumicestone but the Labor Party because of the way they behaved. It was Labor’s refusal to listen to the concerns of locals in those seats that lost them those seats and saw the LNP win. I reassure those people that we are listening and will continue to do so.

By the end of this term of government I will have served my community as an elected representative for nearly 30 years. After six years as councillor for Hamilton, I stood for election to state parliament in 2006, defeating the Labor incumbent, because I wanted to see a better Queensland—a safer Queensland, a Queensland that rewarded effort, a Queensland that acknowledged the importance of the individual, that saw the dead hand of the collective not delivering what the private sector can always deliver and deliver better.

Mr Bailey interjected.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Miller, you are warned.

Mr NICHOLLS: I have been a proud and staunch advocate for that ever since. It has been my job to help the community I represent to adapt to change—listening to locals, not preaching to them. My kids grew up there. They have been through school there. They are still with me. That continues, in the changing nature of kids at home these days: they go and they come back. It is a community we love. In October last year they supported—again—our direction and what we said we were going to do.

We saw pre-poll voters turn up in record numbers, determined to support the Premier’s fresh start. They paid no heed to the candidate from the Libertarians, who was not aided by their nominal leader there, with only 800 votes, I am pleased to say. His brilliant campaign strategy was to boast about a yellow Lamborghini parked at a pre-poll entrance. As shallow as stunts like that were, what voters told me was that the only thing motivating them was the opportunity to show Labor the door— and show Labor the door they did.

Mr Head: It would be better with a LandCruiser.

Mr NICHOLLS: Yes. In a desperate attempt to buy votes, those opposite were spruiking every thought bubble their advisers dreamt up. We heard from the Deputy Premier about Steve’s servos, a second government owned energy retailer to compete against the first government owned energy retailer, and allegedly free lunches for schoolchildren. Labor had the wrong priorities every step of the way. We stayed focused on the issues that mattered to people in the campaign. The No. 1 issue was rampant crime, followed by the health system failures, cost-of-living concerns and worries about how to keep the lights on, as well as where our next generation are going to find a home. We are dealing with all of those.

Queenslanders gave us a mandate to deliver a fresh start after almost a decade of a stale, out-of-touch and arrogant Labor government, and we will deliver. I also want to thank my dad, Peter, who has campaigned with me every step of the way and at 86 continues to be an avid supporter, although not quite so active, as many of you know. I thank my wife, Mary, who has continued to put on an ill-fitting T-shirt and stand at election booths, make sure the sandwiches get delivered and make sure that I am kept on the straight and narrow. To the kids, Katie, Duncan and Jeremy, who, despite their great reluctance, still come, hand out and work on election day and pre-poll and fill in some of the gaps, I want to say thank you for your love, support and commitment. It goes to show that not all the younger generation are voting the other way. Some of them know which side their bread is buttered on. My daughter, Katie, who had some fortune in earning an income recently, finally got a tax bill and said, ‘Dad, it’s highway robbery.’ I said, ‘It is, and it is always worse under Labor.’ She learns the hard lessons, as you do. The kids are doing a great job and I wish them all the very best. Last October we did it without Mum for the first time ever, so this one is for her.

I also want to thank my campaign volunteers and electorate office staff for their blood, sweat and tears, surviving on a diet of muesli bars, snakes and the free coffee at the local coffee shop that I put on—free to them, not to me—manning the roadsides and election booths as well as enduring the fumes of the stinking Lamborghini at pre-poll. They have done their very best. I want to thank my campaign manager, Councillor Julia Dixon from the BCC, and my SEC chair, Matt Crossley, who worked day and night despite having two young kids. To all of my team who came out and helped me, it is a team effort, and I thank my mighty Clayfield team. I want to thank all those who supported me financially and physically on the day. I am here on the platform built by the Clayfield team. I am grateful for their support and the opportunity to again serve the voters of Clayfield and Queensland and deliver on the foundations for a fresh start that I know we will deliver over the next 3½ years.

Mr BOOTHMAN (Theodore—LNP) (12.52 pm): I rise to reply to the Governor’s opening speech for the 58th Parliament. First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to my very good friend the member for Condamine on his well-deserved promotion to the esteemed role of Speaker of this chamber. I also extend congratulations to the member for Lockyer for doing an absolutely fantastic job as one of the Deputy Speakers. In the last term of parliament I worked closely with the member for Condamine. His patience is certainly renowned. I note that this place will certainly test that patience. All I can say is that I am glad he is in the role and not me because I do not have the patience that he has. As a few members have said to me, ‘If they do not behave themselves, if in doubt, kick them out.’ It is a good little saying.

I congratulate all the returning members from the 57th Parliament, along with all the newly elected members, those who have now joined the LNP team and those on the other side. Your names will be placed alongside the 1,200 names that adorn the walls outside of this chamber. To my deputy whips: congratulations on your roles. I believe that every member should be a whip at some time to learn what it is like to herd members and make sure people do their spot on the roster. I would also like to congratulate the opposition whip on his role.

Mr Ryan: It’s easy.

Mr BOOTHMAN: He does not need to have a quorum, does he? Most importantly, I wish the members who retired at the last parliament all the best in their life and their future ambitions and dreams. I wish Lachlan Millar, a good friend of mine, Mark Robinson, Michael Hart and Darren Zanow all the best in their future endeavours.

To the member for Broadwater: a sincere congratulations on becoming the 41st Premier of Queensland. Your discipline, work and inspiring leadership have motivated the LNP team to a remarkable achievement. To the member for Kawana, the Deputy Premier: your unwavering focus and legendary determination are commendable. Special thanks must go out to the LNP state executive.

Last year, on 26 October, the people of Queensland voted for change. They voted for safety where you live, health services when you need them, respect for your money, a place to call home and a government that works for you. The Crisafulli government will restore integrity in government. It is seldom that we ever hear of a government coming in and scrapping taxes. The Crisafulli government has scrapped two taxes. This is the fresh start that the Queensland population voted for.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to the local Theodore LNP State Executive Council, the many groups that came out to volunteer and our local leaders who consistently offer their local support. There are so many people I want to thank and I am tempted to read out all their names, but I feel that it would take up pretty much the remainder of my speech. Many of those people spent days helping. I had a fantastic team of individuals who went out and did letterbox drops on a regular basis. I had individual SEC members who would wear out their shoes on a regular basis. They were quite proud to show me their footwear after the work they had done.

There are so many people I could mention here today—people like Steve, Warren, Robert, Daniel, the other Steve—for their outstanding efforts during the campaign. It was not only them but also community groups that supported what I was doing. The members of those community groups got behind me and pushed the voting population to support the LNP at this election. Those groups included my local men’s sheds, cricket and other sporting groups. Environmental groups were very supportive after all these years I have done tree planting with them and given some of my electoral allowance to them to cover the cost of chemicals for their water testing. Something that I have always been passionate about is our environment, especially in our local community. Business owners and business groups were also supportive. The list goes on.

I want to thank my family: my wife, Kanako, and my three wonderful children, Eleanor, Samuel and Maya. My wife would say that she is not sure about the ‘wonderful’ part. She would say to me, ‘Mark, while you’ve been away, they’ve been playing up and causing a bit of grief.’ She is the anchor of my life. My family is everything to me. As most members in this chamber would say, we do this for our community but also for our families and to make a better world for our children.

My father, Peter, somebody who is certainly getting on in years—I will not say his age—works harder than somebody half his age. He is incredibly dedicated to the Liberal National Party cause. He rings me on a regular basis to express frustration about what is happening in Australia and around the world. He grew up as a sharefarmer’s son and has a true passion for agriculture. He is never happier than when he is out there on the farm getting red soil all over his hands. To my mother, Marjorie: I know that you find it difficult helping these days. We know that you are there in spirit, egging us on. You cannot do the work you used to be able to do, but thank you for all your support. It is a trying time for our family.

Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr McDonald): Member for Theodore, I think that is an appropriate point, after a tribute to your mother, at which to adjourn the debate.

Debate on motion of Mr Boothman, adjourned.

Sitting suspended from 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm.