A nation-building infrastructure program can save Australia

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The funds from the stimulus packages are starting to filter through to workers who have been stood down or sacked as a result of this monumental China virus slow down.

The funds are welcomed by those who still need to pay rent and buy food despite the economic shutdown.

But while the funds are great, they will mostly be used up for short term household survival expenses, and at the end we will have chalked up a national debt exceeding a trillion dollars with nothing permanent to show for it.

Businesses will close and jobs will be lost. It is not a pretty picture and I imagine many of your readers are feeling sick in the guts just thinking about it.

So now is the time to plan and get motivated so we are in a good position to bounce back once the virus has been conquered.

I have proposed what I am calling the Advance Australia Fund, which is a fund of tens of billions of dollars that are specifically directed to nation-building infrastructure that will help Australia back out of the economic black hole.

We are spending money to support out-of-work Australians today, so why not also spend now to create opportunities that will be very much needed by jobseekers in the future?

Three projects I have proposed are a hybrid Bradfield Scheme to bring water from northern Queensland to the south west, a pipe from Lake Argyle in Western Australia to pump water to Perth and the south of the state, and a gas pipeline connecting Western Australia’s rich offshore gas fields to the eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.

I am sure there are also other project ideas which, like these, will be money makers for Australia rather than money takers. We need to put our thinking caps on and begin planning now to get these projects underway as soon as practical.

Australia is experiencing horrible times at the moment, but, when this crisis inevitably passes, we need to make sure we are in the best position possible to rebuild Australia into the great nation that it will be again. Infrastructure delivered through the Advance Australia Fund will help achieve that.

Senator Pauline Hanson
Senator for Queensland
One Nation Leader

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One Nation’s Pauline Hanson proposes multi-billion-dollar “Advance Australia Fund”

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MEDIA RELEASE

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has proposed a multi-billion-dollar “Advance Australia Fund” to safeguard jobs and to ensure water and energy security for the country.

Senator Hanson said, “While I commend the Morrison Government on its inclusive approach to the National Cabinet and their capacity to respond to the increasing demand on government support, we must have a way of protecting Australian jobs when this virus is contained and ensure borrowed money is spent on projects the Government and Australian people will get a return on.”

The Advance Australia Fund would provide immediate funding to projects including the Hybrid Bradfield Scheme and taking water from Lake Argyle to feed through to southern regions of Western Australia. The fund would also provide money to build a vital gas pipeline from North-Western Australia’s rich offshore gas fields, to the Eastern states of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.

The money would also provide trade courses for new apprentices and other vital assets for regional Australia, including storage facilities for food and fuel.

“The Chinese virus has uncovered several vulnerabilities Australia faces and a distressing exposure to job losses because we have focused too heavily on tourism, education and the service industry instead of manufacturing and industry.”

“I understand the need to catch people at a time we are haemorrhaging jobs, but where to after this crisis ends? It pains me to say this, but many businesses will be lost and those looking for work will be forced to make tough decisions on having to move to get a job.”

“The danger with the current stimulus package is that a lot of this money could indirectly flow overseas due to a lack of domestically manufactured products.”

“As politicians, we can create employment that will provide security for many Australian’s who are prepared to work, while building assets that improve and grow the capacity of our nation for the next 100 years or more.”

“I’ve been very strong on building water projects for this nation, and now is the time to activate those schemes.”

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ONE NATION LEADER INSISTS FIRB MUST SUSPEND APPROVALS

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One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, insisting he immediately suspends sale approvals by the Foreign Investment Review Board and safeguards Australians against a mass foreign buy-up.

The Queensland Senator said, “Australian’s want rapid safeguards put in place to ensure China and other opportunistic countries are prevented from buying up housing stock, prime agricultural land, businesses, and corporations affected by this Chinese virus.”

“Our unemployment numbers are surging, our stocks have been knee-capped, housing prices are set to fall, and our dollar is weakened which places Australia in the most vulnerable position we have seen for a very long time.

“I won’t tolerate China or any other country coming in here and buying Australia up for a song, leaving our people without a say.”

In a speech at the Western Hotel on August 14, 2018, FIRB Chair David Irvine AO stated an estimated total volume of critical infrastructure transactions of more than $40bn had been approved in just three years.

Senator Hanson said, “Between 2007/08 and 2017/18, the Foreign Investment Review Board reviewed almost 12,000 applications and rejected just five.”

“How can the FIRB, which has one permanent employee and a handful of part-time members, give proper consideration to the sale of so many Australian assets? It can’t and therefore they aren’t looking out for the best interest of all Australians and need to be stopped.

“The faith the Liberal and Labor parties have placed in globalisation has been shown up as a failure off the back of this pandemic.

“What’s happening right now in this country and right across the globe should be a wakeup call to all politicians, stop allowing the sell-off of our industries and manufacturing and start investing in ourselves. Water, manufacturing, industry, agriculture, and jobs for Australians.”

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China must be held accountable for the coronavirus pandemic.

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When the dust settles, Australia needs a serious rethink of how we progress the growth of our nation and pay back what will likely be one trillion dollars of debt.

The coronavirus may well be the excuse for a global economic collapse, but the course set by consecutive governments and a host of Prime Ministers here in Australia left us teetering on the verge of a recession years ago.

Coronavirus is the final push that has seen Australian markets crash and panic buying begin in our supermarkets.

Australia’s economy is exposed as a result of an over-reliance on Chinese manufacturing and dependence on China as a destination for our food and mineral exports.

Now, it is safe to say, the lives of our citizens are exposed.

By refusing to take the appropriate steps required to prevent the evolution and spread of COVID19 coronavirus, China has put all human life, worldwide at risk.

China must be called out and any attempts to attack or criticise people for referring to COVID19 as a “Chinese virus” should be pushed back on.

In recent history, it has been common to refer to viruses with reference to the area it originated.

For example, MERS stands for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. To the best of my knowledge, no one was ever called a racist for saying MERS.

And the Spanish Flu was responsible for a global pandemic in 1918, but no one ever suggested the Spanish Flu was an offensive name.

Attempts to hide the fact that COVID19 originated in China, shield China from criticism they rightfully deserve.

The threat of virus transmission from animals to humans caused by Chinese wet markets has been well documented for decades.

Despite this, China has wilfully continued to allow unhygienic practices, known to promote the evolution and spread of deadly diseases and put the lives of billions at risk.

Australia has sanctions against many foreign nations for engaging in activities deemed to be inappropriate. North Korea, Iran, Libya, Syria, Zimbabwe, Russia, and Myanmar are just a few we have taken autonomous sanctions against, let alone those UNSC sanctions we also support.

If a country were actively pursuing the development of a biological weapon that had all the same characteristics of the COVID19 coronavirus, then Australia would likely consider sanctions against this nation.

The same would be true if a nation was knowingly allowing private groups or companies to develop biological weapons of this nature.

As a result of this latest pandemic, it can no longer be argued that China, by allowing deadly viruses to evolve and transmit within its borders, is unaware of the dangers they are subjecting the rest of the world to.

Australia should, therefore, consider strong action against a country actively developing, or assisting in the development of deadly biological viruses.

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Hanson calls for longer coronavirus quarantine times

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Senator Hanson calls for Government to close is coronavirus loophole

Senator Pauline Hanson wants the Australian Government to step-up its Covid-19 offensive by increasing quarantine times to 28 days, after a newly-arrived Chinese student tested positive even after 14 days self-quarantined in Dubai.

Senator Hanson also pointed the finger at universities who she said were risking the health of the elderly and frail by encouraging students to exploit the weaknesses in the Government’s travel ban.

“The quatantines as they are aren’t working, as we’ve seen from the latest arrival, so perhaps we need to get stricter and lift them to 28 days,” Senator Hanson said.

“And as for the universities who are encouraging students to exploit these travel loopholes, even paying students to take a 14-day detour to Australia, well they should be ashamed of themselves.

“This virus attacks the vulnerable in particular, the elderly and frail and anyone with weak immune systems, so the universities with their quest for income at the detriment of community health, should be held to account for the consequences of their risky actions.”

Senator Hanson foresaw the weaknesses in the travel ban and raised them in the Senate more than a week ago.

“I’m at pains to understand why Australian universities are able to put profits before the health and security of this nation. Will the minister guarantee the health of Australians and put an end to universities circumventing our nation’s flu-stopping Chinese travel ban?” Senator Hanson asked Minister Michaelia Cash on February 24.

Senator Cash responded: “The government’s advice is very, very clear: students who have been outside mainland China for the last 14 days may be able to enter Australia provided that they do not return to China on the way to Australia.”

Senator Cash also said: “The decisions that the Australian government have taken are underpinned … by medical advice and recommendations from the Commonwealth Chief Medical Officer and chief medical officers from each state and territory on the steps necessary to contain the spread of the coronavirus. …the Chief Medical Officer has confirmed that our arrangements to protect Australians from coronavirus are working.”

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THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK ABOUT THE CASH BAN

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One Nation Senators Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts discuss the Cash Ban Bill back in 2019

I want you to ask yourself: What freedoms would you happily give up if the Government decided to make them illegal??

Fishing? Going to the gym? Spending your cash how and when you choose? Enjoying a coffee with friends?

This is an important question because a freedom you use to have is about to be taken away.

Very soon spending anything more than $10,000 in legal tender could become illegal.

The idea is that cash will instead need to be deposited in the bank, and purchases will be made by electronic transfer.

If proposed laws get Senate support as expected, anyone using cash for a purchase over $10,000 will face a $25,000 fine and two years jail.

It’s true that most of us don’t have $10,000 cash lying around, but there are those who do, and cash is still legal tender. And anyone who has saved up to buy a second hand car or boat, or pay for a holiday, or a new garden shed, should be allowed to do it.

The Liberals and Labor have already said they support the cash ban, despite members in both parties being concerned. One Nation opposes the ban.

The government says the laws are designed to stop crimes like money laundering and tax evasion, but I am concerned that there might be a hidden motive. Is the economy in a much more drastic position than we are told? Does the Government want cash back in the banks to prop up Australia’s finances?

Whatever the reason, if you don’t want the loss of this freedom, you should let your loacal Senators know before it goes to the vote soon.

Who knows what freedoms will be lost next.

Senator Pauline Hanson
Senator for Queensland
One Nation Leader

Hanson slams Govt plan to let foreign workers jump the welfare queue

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Senator Pauline Hanson has slammed “bizarre and outrageous” new visas that give foreign workers access to a long list of welfare funds as soon as they set foot in regional Australia.

The One Nation leader has taken her anger a step further by suggesting Aussies should instead be encouraged to move to the regions through tax incentives and good provision of government services.

“When will the government understand that its primary job is to look after Australians, not foreigners?” Senator Hanson said.

“We are tripping over ourselves to hand over wads of taxpayer money to immigrant workers, while many Australians who struggle to make ends meet would gladly jump at the same opportunities and those Aussies should be our priority.”

Under the government’s New Skilled Regional Visa plan, foreigners who move to regional Australia will have immediate access to Centrelink payments like family assistance, higher education funds, disability payments, NDIS services, and paid parental leave. If the new arrival loses his or her job, they can immediately get unemployment support paid by the Australian taxpayer.

“The government through these new visas is taking the absolute mickey out of Australian taxpayers who are themselves struggling but are again expected to foot the bill so that foreigners can come and live a wonderful life here,” Senator Hanson said.

“When it comes to jobs, welfare support, government services and tax incentives, Australians must come first!”

The new visa rules mean the Skilled Regional Visa holders will have the same access to welfare payments and government services as permanent residents.

The government argues the generous new visas will encourage new arrivals to settle in regional areas to boost regional economies. However, after just three years the migrants become eligible for a permanent visa and are free to move to the big cities.

The new visas are supported by the Liberals and Labor. The bill has passed the House of Representatives but is awaiting a vote in the Senate.

The New Skilled Regional Visas would take effect from 16 November 2019. The government argues they will have “a low financial impact”.

The Explanatory Memorandum for the bill is available here: https://t.co/dsDTWEKbMA?amp=1

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Cold-blooded falsities

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Journalist Lucy Carne (Driven to it? This was cold-blooded murder. CM, 25 Feb), has grossly misrepresented recent comments by me in a way that is false, unconscionable, and defamatory.

She made up words and thoughts when she wrote in her column that I made “flippant remarks” that suggested “Rowan Baxter made a spontaneous decision to slaughter his family” and that Hannah Clarke “deserved her brutal death”.

These comments have no factual basis and, as such, are a complete fabrication by Ms Carne. They in no way reflect anything that I have said or believe. 

My full comments on the matter earlier this week included these words: “A lot of people are driven to do these acts for one reason or another, hopefully the family law enquiry will get to the bottom of it, but don’t bastardise all men out there, or women for that matter, because these things happen. Let’s get to the bottom of it, why it is happening, and hopefully find the answers so it never happens again.”

Ms Carne suggested I was wrong to say people are driven to commit these things for one reason or another.

My comments highlighted the fact that human nature is such that people are actually driven, or motivated, by their life circumstances – including factors like mental illness, stress, anger, health problems, cowardice, the legacy of past experiences, and other influences – to do all manner of things. But any such factors don’t nullify personal responsibility and never excuse the committing of tragic events such as we saw recently.

Another falsity in Ms Carne’s column was the suggestion that I was attempting to “swerve the blame” for the murder away from Mr Baxter, who we all know is solely responsible for taking his family members’ lives.

Ms Carne’s suggestions go very much against my personal beliefs that, regardless of motivations, individual people remain responsible for their own actions.

Ms Carne also wrongfully concluded that my full comments “reinforced the reality Hanson refuses to accept that 95% of women and men who are murdered in Australia and killed by men”, that my views would have been “not as impartial” if the killer had instead been a woman, and that I have a “misogynistic motivation to skew the domestic violence crisis”.

These suggestions are all inaccurate and only serve to muddy the domestic violence debate and prevent genuine discussion to find solutions that will reduce such tragedies in the future.

Ms Carne’s column, overall, includes blatant falsities deliberately intended to smear my character, uses cherry-picked quotes out of context, aims to unfairly influence members of the public into believing I hold views that I don’t hold and is, therefore, quite clearly libellous.

I’m proud that my personal campaigning has actually resulted in the multi-party Family Law Inquiry that is taking a holistic and honest look at all aspects of family law, so we can make serious inroads into Australia’s troubled family law system. As a consequence, hopefully we can reduce violence and save the lives of women and children (and men) who find themselves in dangerous domestic situations.

Senator Pauline Hanson
One Nation Leader and Senator For Queensland

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Pauline Hanson praises retiring MP Jo-Ann Miller: “Labor’s last honourable Member of the Queensland Parliament”

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One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has labelled outgoing Member for Bundamba, Jo-Ann Miller, as Labor’s last honourable Member of the Queensland Parliament.

“Jo-Ann brought accountability to the Queensland parliament and restored integrity to Ipswich following her 14 year fight against corruption that ultimately led to charges against seven former council employees and councillors,” Senator Hanson said.

At the 2017 Queensland state election, Senator Hanson turned down the chance to contest the seat of Bundamba, sighting Mrs Miller’s willingness to work with One Nation on investigations into black lung disease and her fight to save greyhound racing in Ipswich.

“You don’t get rid of good people and Jo-Ann has been one of those good politicians. She’s Labor’s last honourable MP,” Senator Hanson said.

“I will never forget the touching gesture Jo-Ann offered during the 2017 Queensland election, when she gave me a set of booties for my newborn grandson.

“Jo-Ann is one of the few politicians who understands the importance of knowing and listening to her electorate. You don’t get to serve the people for 20 years without doing what they ask of you.”

“I’ve watched the countless years of torturous mind games Jo-Ann has had to put up with from her own party and I don’t blame her for choosing to step down following two decades of service to Bundamba and Ipswich.”

One Nation will be participating in the Bundamba by-election, anticipated to be held on March 28.

“While Jo-Ann will be dearly missed by many in her electorate, we have a local, like-minded candidate who I’m sure Mrs Miller would be proud to see take her place and keep up the fight against Labor’s mega dump plans for Ipswich.”

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Holiday at home and help Australia

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Queenslanders have always been willing to roll up their sleeves, grab a shovel and wheelbarrow, and help with the cleaning after cyclones, floods and bushfires.

The latest challenge this summer also requires us to step in to help where we can – although it might not necessarily mean hard labour, quite the opposite actually.

The coronavirus – now renamed covid-19 – is not only a health challenge but has also turned into a financial challenge for this state, and particularly for tourism operators in the north.

The travel bans from China, which are a sensible move to help stop the spread of the disease, have also stopped the significant finances that usually come into the regions in the pockets of tourists from Asia.

Places like Cairns are recording big drops in visitor numbers, but it’s been noticeable throughout the whole state. With that in mind, I’m asking Queenslanders who are thinking of taking a holiday to consider holidaying in your own backyard – particularly regional and North Queensland.

The north has its obvious beautiful beaches, wonderful resorts and homestays, plenty of activities, and right now prices on Queensland seafood are very reasonable. Speak to your travel agent and secure a great deal and let’s keep Queensland’s tourism industry alive.

For those on a tighter budget, why not visit family or friends, and enjoy a traditional “family stay over” in the spare bedroom or “airbed on the floor” holiday – they often create the best memories anyway!

Our northern businesses and residents have proved their resilience through cyclones and floods over the years, but the rest of us have also stepped in to lend support, and that need has emerged again.

As we progress through another summer with another unique challenge, I ask readers to seriously consider spending your holidays throughout Queensland, to help turn tourism around.

Let’s prove once again that Queensland can depend on Queenslanders.

Pauline Hanson
One Nation leader
Senator for Queensland

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