O'Sullivan, Sen Barry

Senator O'SULLIVAN (Queensland) (11:48): If I seem disappointed and a bit flat, Madam Deputy President, it is because I feel robbed. I thought I was going to have 20 minutes to respond to our colleagues the Greens, and to be reduced to just four minutes is going to make my effort difficult. In doing that, we need to be crystal clear on what we are being asked to consider here by the Greens in this bill. This bill is not about some new found interest in the Greens about the integrity and profile of foreign companies who invest in our nation. If that were true, one would suspect that they would have been in this place with bills previously on the hundreds and hundreds of occasions that foreign investment occurs in this nation. They were in coalition with our friends in the Labor Party for six years, and not once did they introduce legislation when they had the power to do so, to influence a decision about investment in this nation by a foreign company. That being the case, I do not think it is unreasonable for us to draw the only inference that can be drawn—that is, this is not about Adani, this is not about the integrity of Adani and this is not about the profile of Adani. This is about killing any future development in the coal industry—in this case in particular—in my home state of Queensland. This is about denying thousands of young men and women who are currently unemployed. Some of the figures around Townsville and some of the areas in Central Queensland are up to nine per cent. This is about killing the prospects of their jobs. This is about denying the 14,000 workers who did work in the coal industry and all the allied support industries at one stage the opportunity to return to the dignity of full employment. This is about stifling the ongoing investment that comes with transformational, generational opportunities like this to develop the economy of a region and a state and then, indeed, all the benefits that flow from that to the nation. This is about stopping people—owners of empty homes in their thousands in Central Queensland—having the opportunity to have them tenanted once more by people coming to develop this wonderful opportunity. This was a sleight of hand, this bill. This bill is fraudulent. The presentation by the senator earlier was in itself fraudulent. You can take offence to that if you like. You wrote— Senator Waters: Moron. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Madam Deputy President, she just referred to me as a moron. I ask that she withdraw it. Senator McKim: On the point of order: Senator O'Sullivan has just finished twice referring to Senator Waters and her behaviour as fraudulent. If it is good for the goose, it ought to be good for the gander here. This matter was commenced by Senator O'Sullivan in alleging fraudulence on Senator Waters's part, and he should withdraw that. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you. I remind all senators that people need to be respected in this place. Whilst I did not hear any remarks, Senator O'Sullivan, I would ask Senator Waters, if she made those comments, to please withdraw them. Senator Waters: Thank you. The reason I called him a moron was because he said I was a fraud. If he withdraws the allegation that I am a fraud, he needn't be called a moron in this instance. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Please resume your seat. Senator McGrath: Just say it. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator McGrath. Order! Senator McGrath interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath, are you dis— Senator McGrath interjecting— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I have called you to order. I expect you to be quiet. Thank you. Senator Waters, it is not all right to then repeat the imputation that you made. We have had that discussion in this place. I am simply asking you to withdraw that imputation. Senator Waters: If the senator withdraws his calling of me a fraud, which he did twice, I shall withdraw mine. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, I have asked you to withdraw the imputation. Senator Waters: I will do so and I will take a further point of order— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: We are not negotiating, Senator Waters. Senator Waters: I take a further point of order asking Senator O'Sullivan to withdraw the allegations that I am somehow a fraud. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you. Senator O'Sullivan, I invite you now to make the same withdraw. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Thank you. I did not assert that the senator was a fraud. I asserted that the presentation she made to this chamber was fraudulent. I will be guided by the chair. The spirit was that some of the allegations made were in conflict with public information. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan. Yes, Senator Williams? Senator Williams: Madam Deputy President, you have asked Senator Waters to withdraw her comments. She said on condition. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: She has withdrawn. Please resume your seat. Senator Williams: As long as you are satisfied it is withdrawn, I am satisfied. Thank you. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you. If your comments were made in the broad context of debate and were not personal, Senator O'Sullivan, they do not need to be withdrawn. Please continue. Senator Waters: I would ask that the record be checked. It was clearly a reference to my bill and a personal reflection. I think the record will show that beyond any confusion. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I am happy to look at the Hansard, and if there is a personal imputation then we will come back to the chamber. Senator O'Sullivan, please continue. You have got about a minute and 58 seconds, I think. Senator O'SULLIVAN: What we had today was a trojan horse. This bill was rolled in as a trojan horse. When you look inside, what is the motive? The motive is to stop this development in my home state of Queensland. It is astonishing that the attack was led by a Queensland senator. That will prove, I suspect, in the fullness of time to have been a grave political error, and I intend to make what contribution I can to ensure that your political error is well known across the state. In the short time that I have left, I will yield to Senator Waters to answer my question. I will make a week at your convenience— The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator O'Sullivan, I remind you that you must address your marks to the Chair. Senator O'SULLIVAN: Through you, Deputy President, I extend an invitation to Senator Waters to join me on a one-week tour of Central Queensland. I will meet all of the expenses and everybody is welcome. I will arrange general public meetings, all over Central Queensland. An opposition senator interjecting— Senator O'SULLIVAN: Look, if you have not been a success in life you do not need to reflect upon my successes! The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator O'Sullivan, you cannot direct your comments to the Chair and then be personal. You must be broad and not personal. Please continue your remarks. Senator O'SULLIVAN: I have some difficulty in this space, Madam Deputy President. But the invitation stands. A week of your diary and I will take you into Central Queensland. You can arrange the meetings if you like. I will arrange some meetings. We will get the chambers and local government to bring the people together and we will see whether your efforts reflect the intention of the grassroots people who live in this great part of our state. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! The time for this debate has expired. You will be in continuation when debate resumes. Debate adjourned.