Thank you from former senator Ian Macdonald
Now the Senate result has been declared, I want to thank the people of Kennedy for their support and advice over the last 29 years I have represented Queensland in the Senate.
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I am the only northerner in the Senate and have always concentrated on promoting Northern Australia from my Townsville Office and from my home in Ayr.
I hope some of the many initiatives undertaken by the Australian Government over the last three decades, have made a difference to the lives of people in that often-forgotten part of our country in the North.
I have continued to remind parliamentary colleagues that although we in the North comprise only 5% of the population, we do produce more than 50% of Australia's export earnings.
From last July, when 200 LNP preselectors in Brisbane decided to place me number 4 on the LNP Senate ticket, it became mathematically impossible for me to be re-elected to the Senate. Despite this, I won the votes of 13518 Queenslanders who chose to face the daunting task of voting Under the Line. The 4 northern electorates of Leichhardt, Kennedy, Herbert and Dawson contributed substantially to this total, and far exceeded the Under the Line vote for any other LNP candidate in those electorates.
My thanks to all those who did this. I really appreciate their efforts and support.
I remain a dedicated supporter of the Morrison Government and I am pleased that the election result has confirmed that the majority of Australians want a competent, free enterprise, caring Government that will now get on with the job with increased numbers in both Houses of Parliament.
Again, my thanks to your paper and your readers.
Senator Ian Macdonald
Ayr.
Wait wasn't worth it
For graziers in drought ravaged Queensland, the more than 6-month delay in releasing the Drought Report wasn't really worth the wait.
Instead of more drought support from the Palaszczuk Labor Government, farmers and drought affected communities are facing cuts to their fodder and water transport subsidies.
This shouldn't really come as a surprise though - one of the excuses for the declining future funding from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was down to a 'reduction in expenses for the Drought Assistance Package and Queensland Drought Reform'*.
Those doing it tough were expecting Labor's drought report to deliver more, not less, for farmers.
Labor's cuts to the overall funding to drought support in this state should be called out for what they really are - a disgrace.
At a time when more than 65 per cent of the state is drought declared, Labor has delivered more cuts, more betrayal and more disappointment for our farmers.
The Palaszczuk Labor Government is anti-farmers, anti-regions and anti-jobs.
We have seen this time and time again with the unfair anti-farmer vegetation management laws, the incoming reef laws, the ever-increasing cost of water and electricity and the scrapping of Queensland Agricultural Colleges.
A Deb Frecklington Liberal National Party led Government will continue to get around Queensland to hear directly from farmers on issues that impact you and your communities - like drought.
We are committed to delivering the policies that represent the aspirations and beliefs of rural and regional Queensland.
The LNP won't stop fighting for our farmers.
Tony Perrett MP
LNP Shadow Minister for Agriculture