Mr THOMPSON (Herbert) (16:12): Mr Deputy Speaker, I don't know how you have been sitting here this afternoon listening to the garbage dribble out from the Labor Party, especially that last speaker. Once again they're offering no solutions, no ideas, just pointing at everyone else and yelling. We've seen tragic scenes around the world of thousands of people dying every single day in this global pandemic. We've been very lucky and fortunate here in Australia not to have seen the catastrophic deaths that other nations have seen. I want to say to the opposition: to suggest that we on this side of the House have not been focusing on the people of Australia during this tough time is factually incorrect—a lie—and something that shouldn't be happening. In parliaments around the world, in oppositions— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Llew O'Brien ): A point of order? Mr Josh Wilson: Mr Deputy Speaker, I'm not sure that that reflection was parliamentary. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: He was referring to a comment, not the actual member. In this case I'll rule it in order but I'm keeping a close eye on it. Mr Josh Wilson: Well, Mr Deputy Speaker, he referred to the opposition as a whole, and that includes us collectively and separately. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Well collectively— Mr Josh Wilson: That's the part that's being regarded as unparliamentary. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I'm listening to it. Mr Josh Wilson: He has accused the opposition of lying, Deputy Speaker. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: There were comments from previous speakers on the opposition side that were also in that category. I'm watching closely. The member needs to watch his comments, but at this time I'm ruling it in order. Mr THOMPSON: Parliaments around the world have seen oppositions and the government of the day working together. We've seen it in states within Australia, we've seen it in the US, we've seen it in the UK and we've seen it around the world, but, here, every day, there is nothing more than politicking. An opposition member: Really? Mr THOMPSON: Yes, really. We've been doing everything that we've been able to do to support Australians through this tough time. We have one of the lowest death rates from COVID-19 in the world. We've got more people in the workforce than ever before. We're very fortunate to be living the many freedoms and opportunities those overseas have not seen since this global pandemic began. Even in the situations that face us today in Sydney, the Berejiklian government is responding quickly, testing and tracing. Contact tracers are doing an incredible job. And, through the co-funding arrangements we struck with the states right at the beginning of the pandemic, we're sharing the financial load of all the testing and tracing. Those opposite are supposed to be the alternative government. Aren't they meant to be offering better solutions to the problems that we face here in Australia? No, we're just seeing a pandemic used for politics, because all we hear is negativity, and that's all we're hearing this afternoon. I'd like to inject some positivity into this debate. I want to remind the House of how we've helped the people in my electorate, in my home town of Townsville, and how we've used the laser-sharp focus of their needs throughout this global pandemic. Firstly, on the health front, we haven't had a positive case of COVID-19 in Townsville since basically the start of the pandemic. We've never had a case of community transmission. This is a testament to the hard work of the people of Townsville, who stayed home, whose businesses were closed down and who, even through the financial stresses they were facing, still did the right thing. There was the Prime Minister's work with the national cabinet to implement tough but lifesaving restrictions. We also made sure people who were locked down, isolated or vulnerable still had access to the support of their GP by fully subsidising telehealth appointments through Medicare. There have been more than 200,000 telehealth consultations through the pandemic in Herbert, and this number is only set to grow as we extend this service. On the economic front, JobKeeper and JobSeeker saved our city from a potential collapse. We've helped 27,100 people keep their jobs thanks to JobKeeper, and we're helping 4,000 businesses weather COVID-19. We should be working together for the betterment of Australia, not senselessly politicking. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Llew O'Brien ): The discussion is now concluded.