This afternoon I rise to place on the public record my concern about the development of renewable energy projects on high-value agricultural and irrigated land in Queensland.

I am delighted to second the amendment moved by the member for Glass House. Finally the Labor Party has taken an interest in a project outside of South-East Queensland: the Rookwood Weir.

I would like to make a short contribution to the Queensland Competition Authority Amendment Bill 2018. This bill will have a significant impact on the Central Queensland economy.  

I, too, want to make a short contribution to the Hospital Foundations Bill 2018. It goes without saying that our hospital foundations are critical pieces of funding infrastructure for our health facilities right across the state.

I rise tonight to speak about the regional freight services contract and how I believe the Labor Party have failed the bush yet again. Last week the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission released a statement of issues on the proposed sale of Aurizon to consortium Linfox and Pacific National—a statement which has cast doubt over the future of regional services in Western Queensland.

I too would like to make a short contribution to the Tow Truck and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2018. This has been a long time coming. We all remember this issue being raised by the media in the last parliament, whether it was in the Courier-Mail or on commercial television such as A Current Affair.

It is a great honour to speak to this bill. I will concentrate on the changes that the bill makes to the Liquor Act 1992. I think we have a missed opportunity here in regard to the Commonwealth Games. It is going to be the biggest event that Queensland has ever seen. A lot of hard work has gone into organising the Commonwealth Games.

Mr Deputy Speaker McArdle, I commend you on your appointment as Deputy Speaker. It is a sterling choice. You are certainly a person who has been around this parliament for a long time and has a lot of dignity, and you are well liked throughout parliament.

I rise to speak to the Education (Overseas Students) Bill 2018. From the outset, like all members in this House I want to pay tribute to teachers right across Queensland.

This is not the Brisbane parliament; this is the Queensland parliament. There is more to Queensland than Coronation Drive or Yeerongpilly. The members from the other side who have spoken in this debate have all been city based members who will be able to zip home within five, 10 or 15 minutes and get to functions, as the member for Mermaid Beach said.

Today, I rise to put on the public record the enormous contribution that the agricultural sector makes to the Queensland economy. It is the unsung economic hero of our state. In the Central Highlands alone, we produce 15 per cent of Australia’s chickpea crop annually and 25 per cent of the nation’s mung bean crop. Last season we produced over 180,000 bales of cotton. We have 380,000 citrus trees and produce 90 per cent of Queensland’s mandarin exports.