Garth Hamilton
Groom · Liberal National Party · Australia
“Every parent wants better for their kids. That's why we turn up to work. That's why we save. That's why we drive them to piano lessons, take them to sports and put effort into their lives—because we want better for them.”
“I think these are terribly challenging things when we consider that. But part of the solution to dealing with these issues about making the future brighter is positioning our policy around our kids' future and reminding ourselves of the hard work that not only parents must do but governments must do to prepare that better future.”
“I don't blame that, because the thrust of the conversation was good jobs and good pay and finding the balance between those who wanted to invest and those who wanted to invest their labour, and then, between that, finding that balance to say, 'I want you to have your job; I want to protect your job, but I want to make sure that business i…”
“I talk to young kids about the impact of social media and what they see on a regular basis, what my kids see on a regular basis, and how that impacts them. We hear the challenges of social cohesion right here in Australia, let alone what's happening around the world.”
“on indulgence—With reference to the incident in the chamber yesterday, I would like to withdraw my statement. I would like to apologise to the House and to you personally, Mr Speaker. I would like to thank the member for Hunter and others opposite for their kind friendship during this period.”
“1 message I got back from them was that they were concerned about what was laid out in their future; they could not see the pathway to prosperity that had been laid out for previous generations—the way that they could have the same things that previous generations had. They didn't want to take it away from those who'd got there.”
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“You've done such a great job, and you've done it in a term when you've lost two parents. I don't know how you've done it. I really appreciate you, Jo, for everything you do for my community. Greta Dwan, you've done a great job coming in and turning around my media. Thank you so much. For someone so young, you've done a great job. Keely Berther, you're amazing. The energy you bring to my office is absolutely fantastic. Rose and Matthew, you're both an absolute breath of fresh air. I have so many volunteers in that office. I'll name as many as I can. There's Peter, Steve, Sheldon, Nathan, Susan, Jeff, Neil, Sam, Adam—and there are so many more. We are a service provider to our community. What you guys do makes our community better, and I want everyone to hear how much I appreciate you.”
“I'm so proud of the way that my staff take up the challenge of serving our community. I want to take this opportunity, as we head towards the end of this term, to thank them. We've gone through a lot together, guys. Ruth Doyle is well known in our community. She goes above and beyond. She's been helping people out for years. She'll call them weeks after she's helped them. I know this because I hear it. People tell me all the time of the great job you do. Thank you. And Ruth has been going through some pretty tough times with health struggles. Ruth, I love you and thank you for the job you do for my community. Scott O'Connell, you've been there with me since day 1. Mate, you're looking after your boy, Al, at the moment. It's a joy to see him grow up in my office. To Joanne Doyle, you're next off the order.”
“I want to see fewer kids committing the sorts of heinous crimes that have plagued our state. To end, I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, our police force, which has done such a magnificent job during this youth crime crisis to keep Queenslanders safe.”
“This is the very front line of Australia's efforts to keep illicit drugs out of our country, and it is being weakened and will be made weaker, with further cuts of $600 million coming to Australia's border security over the forward estimates. When we say that Labor is soft on crime, this is exactly what we're talking about. The efforts that could be made to keep these drugs out of our country are being weakened and relaxed. Drugs from overseas are driving youth crime in towns and cities like Toowoomba, and Labor is reducing our ability to keep these drugs out. Queensland needs a federal government that is willing to do everything it can to support our state's effort to end the youth crime crisis. I certainly don't want to see more kids in detention; no-one does.”
“Criminologists, Queensland's youth justice department, the Queensland Police Service and the Queensland Family and Child Commission all identify drug use and dependence as a significant motivator that drove young people to offend and reoffend. Their message is clear: take the drugs off the streets and you will see a reduction in youth crime. Given the clear link between illicit drugs and youth crime, Australia expects its federal government to be doing everything they can to keep those drugs out of our country and out of the hands of our children. Sadly this hasn't been the case. Australian Border Force has confirmed there's been a decrease in both air and sea patrols since Labor came to power. Aerial flying hours have decreased by 20.7 per cent, and maritime patrol days have decreased by 12.2 per cent.”
“Toowoomba Regional Council's leadership on Safer Toowoomba Regional Partnerships is a great example of this. State governments of course have a prominent role with the police and the magistrates, but the federal government has a strong role to play too. Initiatives like the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation and the safer communities funding program are two examples of things the coalition did whilst last government. We also have a very important role to play in addressing drug trafficking and importation. Most illegal drugs moving around Australia are brought across our borders, and most of the offenders caught in Queensland's youth crime crisis were involved in drugs in some way.”
“I fully support the Queensland government's adult crime, adult time laws. It's early days yet, and there is much work to do, but, like most Queenslanders, I know that this is the right approach and that this is what our state needs. For far too long in our state, the balance between early intervention and appropriate detention has weighed in favour of the offenders and not the victims. Sadly this lopsided approach has hurt Queenslanders. It has particularly hurt my hometown of Toowoomba, where we saw an escalating youth crime crisis cause so much havoc in our city. I support the Premier's policy 100 per cent. Crime is not an issue that I'll be walking away from, because I genuinely believe that all levels of government have a role to play. Local councils often focus on lighting, CCTV cameras and local advocacy.”
“Mr Speaker, in accordance with standing order 105(b), I wish draw your attention to multiple overdue questions in writing: questions 753, 754, 755 and 765. Can I ask that you write to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and seek an explanation as to why they chose not to answer my questions in writing within 60 days.”