Speeches

17 October, 2018

Adjournment Speech: Dairy Industry, Oct 2018

Coles and Woolworths have completely bastardised the proposal put forward by Queensland Dairyfarmers Organisation to introduce a 10c per litre levy on all milk to help drought affected dairy farmers. When these supermarket giants, which have a $62.2 billion share of a $90 billion Australian grocery market, initially agreed to the 10c per litre drought levy, I said it was a welcome first step. But instead they have quarantined the levy, applying it only to some of their privately labelled milk, taking consumers away from branded milk.

28 June, 2018

Adjournment Speech: Dairy Industry

I said in my maiden speech that when it comes to agriculture, big business needs to play fair and farmers deserve to receive a fair price for their product. I also said I was concerned about the devastating impact the ongoing Coles and Woolworths milk price war is having on the dairy industry.

22 May, 2018

Speech: National Palliative Care Week – Breakfast

Good morning. I would also like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of this land — the Ngunnawal people — and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.
I also extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may be present here today.
Thank you Nola Marino for your kind words — it’s great to be here to represent my colleague, the Minister for Rural Health, Bridget McKenzie.
Bridget was unfortunately unable to make it here today, but I know how passionate she is about palliative care — particularly for people living in rural and regional communities across Australia.

13 February, 2018

Speech – Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial – Federation Chamber

14/02/2018 Speech – Gallipoli to Armistice Memorial – Federation Chamber A landmark of international significance is now emerging in Queen’s Park, Maryborough in the electorate of Wide Bay, a $3.2 million Gallipoli to Armistice memorial funded by the federal and Queensland governments and the Fraser Coast Regional Council. It will tell the story of Maryborough’s […]

13 February, 2018

Speech – Stronger Communities Funding – Federation Chamber

14/02/2018 Speech – Stronger Communities Funding – Federation Chamber It takes something special to make me dance in public, yet that’s what I found myself doing recently when I visited Sunshine Butterflies disability support service at Cooroibah to announce more than $16,000 through the Stronger Communities Program. Organisations like Sunshine Butterflies are so important and […]

13 February, 2018

Speech – Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra upgrade Section D – Federation Chamber

14/02/2018 Speech – Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra upgrade Section D – Federation Chamber Members in this place will not be surprised that I rise to call for federal funding to be allocated in the 2018 budget to complete the final project of the Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra upgrade section D. Road safety is […]

12 February, 2018

Speech – Tribute to Mr Bill Roberts – Federation Chamber

13/02/2018 Speech – Tribute to Mr Bill Roberts – Federation Chamber I rise to pay tribute to and say farewell to Mr Bill Roberts who passed away aged 92 on Sunday night. Bill Roberts was chairman and mayor of the Murgon shire for 28 years and earned an OBE for his service to local government. […]

11 February, 2018

Speech – Aged Care – Federation Chamber

12/02/2018 Speech – Aged Care – Federation Chamber Last Friday, I was very pleased to welcome the Minister for Aged Care to Wide Bay to meet with the aged care providers and listen to their concerns. Minister Wyatt and I met with representatives from Carramar and Noosa residential care from Tewantin, Cooinda in Gympie, Gympie […]

18 October, 2017

Speech – National Police Remembrance Day -House of Representatives

18/10/2017 Speech – National Police Remembrance Day – House of Representatives Police Remembrance Day is a solemn occasion when we commemorate and pay tribute to those officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty and convey our respects to their families and colleagues. On 29 September we recall the names of every […]

16 October, 2017

Speech – Heritage Wonders of the Gympie Region – Federation Chamber

16/10/2017 Speech – Heritage Wonders of the Gympie Region – Federation Chamber The National Trust and my local daily newspaper, The Gympie Times, have put together a great commemorative book—Heritage Wonders of the Gympie Region—celebrating 150 years since James Nash made his famous discovery of gold near the Mary River.

16 October, 2017

Speech – Mental health- 1 – Federation Chamber

16/10/2017 Speech – Mental health – Federation Chamber I rise to support the motion moved by the member for Fisher and acknowledge his strong promotion of good mental health. It’s often said that mental health is a collective responsibility—for individuals, for our community and for society in general. We need to look after ourselves and […]

21 June, 2017

Speech – Making the case for Section D Cooroy to Curra – Federation Chamber

21/06/2017 Speech – Making the case for Section D Cooroy to Curra – Federation Chamber Earlier today I led a delegation of Wide Bay mayors, Mick Curran from Gympie, Chris Loft from Fraser Coast, Jack Dempsey from Bundaberg, Rachel Chambers from North Burnett, and Keith Campbell from South Burnett, as well as Bill Trevor and Scott […]

12 June, 2017

Statement calling for upgrades to the Bruce Highway through Wide Bay – House of Representatives

13/06/2017 Statement calling for upgrades to the Bruce Highway through Wide Bay – House of Representatives After the spate of horror fatalities on the Bruce Highway between Gympie and Maryborough, headlines from my local newspapers The Gympie Times and Fraser Coast Chronicle have called out: ‘Queensland’s highway of hell,’ ‘Road deaths must stop,’ ‘Stop ignoring […]

6 June, 2017

Statement on the re-opening of the Tait-Duke Community Cottage in Tewantin

07/06/2017 Statement on the re-opening of the Tait-Duke Community Cottage in Tewantin It is a pleasure to be here today to join in the re-opening of the Tait-Duke Community Cottage in Tewantin.

10 May, 2017

Statement on Road Safety and the Bruce Highway – House of Representatives

11/05/2017 Statement on Road Safety and the Bruce Highway – House of Representatives Mr Deputy Speaker, this is National Road Safety Week and I wear my yellow ribbon to confirm my absolute support.

27 March, 2017

Statement on New Export Opportunities With China – House of Representatives

22/03/2017 Statement on New Export Opportunities With China – House of Representatives The Coalition Government is securing new markets for farmers. Australian farmers export around two-thirds of their produce, and the coalition government is promoting better relationships with our trading partners to secure even more opportunities for domestic producers.

21 March, 2017

Statement on Family and Domestic Violence – Federation Chamber

22/03/2017 Statement on Family and Domestic Violence – Federation Chamber There are some things our society simply should not tolerate – and domestic violence is top of the list. It must stop.

20 March, 2017

Statement on Gympie Branch Older Women’s Network – Federation Chamber

21/03/2017 Statement on Gympie Branch Older Women’s Network – Federation Chamber It was a great pleasure to meet with members of the Older Women’s Network Gympie branch to celebrate the achievements of women as part of International Women’s Day during Queensland Women’s Week.

19 March, 2017

Statement on Wide Bay Motor Complex – Federation Chamber

20/03/2017 Statement on Wide Bay Motor Complex – Federation Chamber The great city of Maryborough in Wide Bay is known for its serene environment and heritage architecture, but it also has a long history of a different kind.

1 March, 2017

Statement on Road Safety – Federation Chamber

2/03/2017 Statement on Road Safety – Federation Chamber I rise today to speak about the national road toll and the recent disturbing increase in the number of fatalities, particularly in the calendar year 2016.

27 February, 2017

Statement on Aged Care – House of Representatives

28/02/2017 Statement on Aged Care – House of Representatives I rise to support the Coalition Government’s initiative, Increasing Choice in Home Care, which gives elderly people the freedom to choose their home care provider.

16 February, 2017

Statement on Decentralisation – House of Representatives

16/02/2017 Statement on Decentralisation – House of Representatives The National Party is the party of infrastructure and decentralisation. We’re serious about creating new economic opportunities in regional communities by building infrastructure that enables them to grow and prosper. We are also serious about examining the economic and social benefits of decentralising government jobs and services […]

8 February, 2017

Statement on Wide Bay Burnett Jobs Package – Federation Chamber

8/02/2017 Statement on Wide Bay Burnett Jobs Package – Federation Chamber The Wide Bay region has long struggled with high unemployment. It is a battle that I have faced myself. I remember in my late teens and early 20s going door to door, desperate to get any job I could find to support my young […]

29 November, 2016

Statement on Aged Care – Federation Chamber

29/11/2016 Statement on Aged Care – Federation Chamber In my maiden speech I spoke of the challenges we face as a nation with an ageing population, which will result in increasing demands on our aged care sector, whilst facing very difficult economic times.

28 November, 2016

Statement on Coalition Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund supporting projects in Maryborough and Gympie – Federation Chamber

28/11/2016 Statement on Coalition Government’s National Stronger Regions Fund supporting projects in Maryborough and Gympie – Federation Chamber I congratulate the Liberal-National coalition government on the success of its National Stronger Regions Fund. The National Stronger Regions Fund was an initiative of the National Party, led by my predecessor in Wide Bay.

22 November, 2016

Statement on Bruce Highway, Cooroy to Curra four lane project – House of Representatives

23/11/2016 Statement on Bruce Highway, Cooroy to Curra four lane project – House of Representatives It was a pleasure to welcome the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport to Wide Bay last week to inspect progress on the Bruce Highway, Cooroy to Curra, four-lane Section C project.

7 November, 2016

Statement on United Synergies StandBy Response Service – House of Representatives

7/11/2016 Statement on United Synergies StandBy Response Service – House of Representatives Last week I met with Christopher John and Karen Phillips from the United Synergies organisation, whose head office is based in my electorate of Wide Bay. United Synergies is a great organisation that helps young people, families and the wider community with child […]

7 November, 2016

James Nash High, Gympie High, and Victory College Awards Nights – Federation Chamber

7/11/2016 James Nash High, Gympie High, and Victory College Awards Nights – Federation Chamber I have recently had the pleasure of attending awards nights at Victory College, James Nash State High School and Gympie State High School. It was great to see the range of awards presented, and I congratulate the students on their achievements […]

20 October, 2016

Funding for Ration Shed Museum, Cherbourg – Federation Chamber

20/10/2016 Funding for Ration Shed Museum, Cherbourg – Federation Chamber I rise to congratulate the Ration Shed Museum at Cherbourg on its successful application for funding from the Coalition Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy. Cherbourg, the home of the Wakka Wakka people, is an Aboriginal community in my electorate that was settled by the Salvation Army […]

18 October, 2016

Clen up union rorts and thuggery – House of Representatives

18/10/2016 Clen up union rorts and thuggery – House of Representatives After so many reports of bribery, bullying, intimidation and links to organised crime, it’s an absolute disgrace that Labor continues to operate a protection racket for union thuggery. It’s no surprise that Labor and The Greens are protecting their union mates from the Coalition’s […]

12 August, 2016

Maiden Speech – House of Representatives

14/09/2016 Maiden Speech – House of Representatives I am very honoured to address the people’s house today as Wide Bay’s choice to represent them. I thank the electors of Wide Bay and recognise the trust they have placed in me. I understand my responsibility to repay that trust with hard work, honesty and fearless advocacy […]