5 June 2014
Sean Ford
The Advocate
PAYROLL tax cuts to keep Qantas jobs in Tasmania should be just the start of creating a “special economic zone” in Tasmania, Palmer United senator-elect Jacqui Lambie says.
In a wide-ranging spray taking in Liberals, Nationals and newspaper columnist Andrew Bolt, Ms Lambie this morning seized on the Hodgman Government offering Qantas a $10.9 million incentive over 10 years – mostly via payroll tax relief – to secure its Hobart call centre operations.
Ms Lambie has been calling for Tasmania to be made a special economic zone.
She said the state government had now done that for one company.
”And while I’m glad they’ve adopted my idea for one company in one capital city, let’s protect jobs and do the same favour for more local businesses who employ workers in other Tasmanian regional cities,” Ms Lambie said in a written statement.
She accused the Abbott Government of working to make ”Australia into a place of haves – mainly in our capital cities – and have-nots in regional and country communities”.
Ms Lambie joined PUP Leader Clive Palmer in taking a swipe at Mr Abbott’s chief of staff, Peta Credlin.
”She is part of a small, elite group of Liberals who have taken over Australia, and they have caused unnecessary misery and heartache for millions of ordinary Ozzies (sic).”
”Ms Credlin is one of the leaders of the group of largely unelected Liberal royals (which includes her husband, Brian Loughnane, the national director of the Liberal Party, as well as Abbott’s personal friend, journalist Andrew Bolt) who should be held to account because of the extraordinary power they hold and the life destroying policies they promote.”
Ms Lambie also took potshots at Nationals MPs Warren Truss and Barnaby Joyce.
She described Mr Truss as ”a Liberal mouthpiece” who had ”betrayed the bush”.
”The fire for the bush in Barnaby Joyce’s belly has been doused by the perks of ministerial office …”
Mr Palmer has apologised to Ms Credlin for a personal attack relating to the government’s planned paid parental leave scheme.
Ms Lambie said she supported Mr Palmer ”who criticised the amount of political influence held by the Prime Minister”s chief of staff”.
Courtesy of The Advocate
