E&OE...
Thank you very much Geoff, my parliamentary colleagues both State and Federal, Bruce Baird the Federal Member for Cook where this gathering takes place and can I say it's always great to be back in the Shire. It's a great place federally it's a totally sound place and after the 24th of March it is going to be an even sounder place at a state level.
My fellow Australians, the people of New South Wales want a change at the next election. It is our task over the next four weeks to match the aspirations of the people of this state. We can do it, you can do it, you can bring about a change of government. The swing needed may be great but can I tell you the mood for change is deep and immense and passionate. There has to be something wrong with a Premier who is no longer proud of his own party. I am very happy to stand in front of that name that says Liberal, and I always will. I will never walk away from own party, and I will always be accountable directly for the things that my party has done under my stewardship and when I have been a member of that decision-making process. But friends we have a task ahead of us, but it is a task that can be accomplished.
Mr Iemma keeps pleading excuses; he says that New South Wales, whose economy is lagging behind the economies of other states despite the strong economic management at a national level over the last 10 years, Mr Iemma says New South Wales has been held back by interest rates. I can remember when New South Wales was held back by interest rates a few years ago when they were 17 per cent and 21 per cent for business under his mate Mr Keating. It's funny about this, it really is. He says New South Wales is being held back by the interest rates by why aren't the other states being held back? Because you don't have different interest rates in New South Wales. I've just been to Western Australia, I spent four days there and I can promise you Western Australia is not being held back by interest rates. Queensland's not being held back by interest rates. Victoria's not being held back by interest rates. In other words what is happening here is despite the best ever economic management since World War II at a federal level, the New South Wales Government has dropped the ball and by its own individual decisions, all its own work, it has put a break on economic growth, jobs growth and economic development in this state.
Now ladies and gentlemen, it is in our hands and within our capacity, with our enthusiasm and our commitment over the weeks ahead. I've been in politics a long time and I can promise you the people of New South Wales want a change. There is an unarguable feeling in the community of this state that the current government is incompetent. There's no argument about that and our task is to convert that feeling with our enthusiasm and our commitment. And can I say on behalf of all of my federal colleagues that I will do everything I can and work as hard as I can over the next four weeks to help Peter and Andrew who are great Coalition partners, and the strength of the Coalition here in New South Wales is one of the ingredients of success, just as the strength of the Coalition federally has been one of our enduring successes and hallmarks over the last decade.
I will do everything I can and I know all of my federal colleagues will do the same to bring about a change of government and the election that a Debnam-Stoner government to govern New South Wales, to get New South Wales back in front, to fix things in New South Wales and in that spirit, my friends, my fellow Australians, I invite you to welcome Peter and Deborah and Peter's leadership team.