As a servant to the people of Queensland and Australia, I address the Senate tonight about corruption in local government in Queensland.
As a Senator for Queensland I am deeply concerned for people's wellbeing.
My connection with Queensland includes being a former candidate in the City of Ipswich and I am a strong supporter of local government. So you think democracy exists in Ipswich, in Logan and in Moreton Bay? Let me explain why it has failed for voters in these areas.
I believe in democracy. This is where politicians represent the interests of their constituents and then act accordingly. Transparency is one of the ways to counter corruption. Put in it the open. Voting carefully, armed with facts and a belief in the integrity of your preferred candidate, is another way to exercise our democratic rights. People want to be heard.
They want good governance. In local government, people want low rates and good services. They want honesty and they want trustworthiness. The forthcoming Queensland local government election next month will give Queenslanders an opportunity to exercise their voting power and replace those shown to be corrupt—replace them with good men
and women.
This is democracy in practice.
