Today marks 30 years since I entered Parliament and the Senate.

It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the Australian people over three decades. I am grateful for the cherished memories and moments I have shared with friends and colleagues during my time in Parliament.

The National Party (now the Liberal National Party) has been monumental in its support, having continually endorsed me as a Senator this past 30 years. The party has my eternal gratitude and loyalty.

I anticipate great things for the future of the LNP. It is time for younger people to come through. On their shoulders, the party can only grow stronger.

I thank the people of Queensland for voting for me as Senator over the last 30 years. I thank the many people who have helped me throughout my term.

I will continue to campaign on behalf of and serve the interests of all Australians before the end of my term on 30 June 2014.

ENDS

QUEENSLAND Senator Ron Boswell has blasted the federal Labor Government for the destruction of jobs, saying it was often the lowest-paid workers who bore the brunt of carbon tax, renewable energy and regulatory compliance costs.

“Australian businesses operate in an increasingly tough global marketplace but are being burdened down with government-generated costs that are destroying their competitiveness,” Senator Boswell said. “As a result, imports are rising and exports are falling. Under this Labor Government, Australia’s fastest growing export commodity is jobs.”

Senator BOSWELL (Queensland) (13:43): I rise to speak on a matter of grave national importance—the destruction of industries and jobs by a Labor government that simply does not understand how business operates. Australian businesses are operating in an increasingly tough global marketplace but are being burdened with government-generated costs that are destroying their competitiveness. As a result, imports are rising and exports are falling under this Labor government.

Queensland Senator Ron Boswell has slammed the involvement of Gillard Government climate advisors in a Greenpeace campaign to hamstring the Australian coal industry.

Senator Boswell said it was “outrageous” for members of the Science Advisory Panel of the Climate Commission and the Climate Change Authority to sign an open letter calling for expansion of Australian coal exports to be stopped.