RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS - Queensland Parliament ...

22 Apr 2009 Private Members’ Statements 55
Recently the Oxley Railway Station has received another upgrade and a new platform, a new
pedestrian bridge and 70 new car parks have been installed. There are many people from outside the
electorate who use this station and Corinda station and when Richlands station is built, with its 600 new
car parking facilities, this will alleviate some of the pressure on the parking in my area. However, I call on
the Brisbane City Council and the local councillor Matthew Bourke to get their act together to sort out the
parking regulations in the local streets to make them safer for our local residents. Residents were also
concerned about increased noise around the station, but they are satisfied that a noise barrier will be
installed on the Ardoyne Road side of the station. Members of the Oxley QCWA and president Jean
Harrop are pleased that their hall has been moved successfully to Cawonga Park at Oxley.
(Time expired)
Bligh Labor Government
Mr SPRINGBORG (Southern Downs—LNP) (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (11.34 am): This
morning we saw in this place why the Treasurer and the new Minister for Employment is the most
unpopular member of the Queensland parliament. This is a person who has not one single degree of
empathy or understanding when it comes to the needs of the Public Service in Queensland. Indeed, this
person has been re-elected to the state parliament with the lowest primary vote of any sitting member of
this parliament. Indeed, there were 32 losing candidates who actually got a higher primary vote than the
Treasurer of Queensland. This morning what we saw was the duplicity and the dishonesty of this
person—this person who failed to stand up for the public servants of Queensland.
Also, it is very unfortunate that the Queensland Public Sector Union let down their own members
during the election campaign. It spent so much time grovelling to and brownnosing the Labor Party
government that it forgot to stand up for its members. So what did we see the day after the election?
Headlines in the Courier-Mail about efficiency dividends, about fat cutting in Queensland. A couple of
weeks down the track we have now seen the government promising to reduce the leave entitlements
and the superannuation entitlements of Queensland public sector workers.
If Alex Scott and the Public Sector Union had spent less time looking after the Labor Party and
brownnosing it and more time standing up for their members, then we would not be in this quandary
today. The least that this government should do is stand up for the entitlements of hardworking public
sector employees who have had their entitlements preserved over years and years of governments in
Queensland. It is the best public service superannuation scheme in all of Australia and some of the best
entitlements in all of Australia over and above their day-to-day wages. We now see the true duplicity of
this government—it will do and say anything to cling to power in Queensland and the epitome of that of
course is the Treasurer.
(Time expired)
Mundingburra Electorate
Ms NELSON-CARR (Mundingburra—ALP) (11.36 am): It is a great pleasure to rise here today in
my fifth term as the elected member for Mundingburra. I remember what it was like five terms ago when
I de-seated Frank Tanti, the then Liberal member. I am very proud to be here. I think often we forget just
what an honour it is after all of these years to have the experiences that are bestowed upon elected
members. It is a very great honour. There are a number of roles that we do indeed perform.
One of the first things that I was able to do in this fifth term was to open the JCU sport and
recreation facility, which was a joint venture done by JCU Sport and Recreation and the student
association. Between the two of them they were able to erect a world-class facility, which will be used
not only by the university students at JCU but by the entire community. The other thing that I do
regularly—and it is coming up for all of us this weekend—is attend Anzac Day services. That is another
thing that we cannot take for granted. It is extremely memorable and one worth preserving.
But none of this can occur without the support that we get from those who get us elected in the
first place. That goes to the constituency of course but also to those dedicated workers who spend
hours and hours of their time supporting us because they believe in us and, in my case, they believe in
the Labor Party.
Firstly, I would like to especially thank my staff. I also wish to particularly thank the Murphy
family—Rhonda and Ray Murphy and their children—who gave of themselves in more ways than I can
believe. I also thank Michael and Krista Kaysley and the many people who were very much involved in
my campaign—Kiel Shuttleworth, Alan Polley, Primus Parker. To the unions who supported me, I could
not have done without them—Marg Mills, Ken Gray, Peter Hindle—and to my parents and to all those
who got me elected, I say thank you.
(Time expired)