Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I speak tonight because I am aggrieved at the failure of the Howard government in relation to road infrastructure in my area. Over 11½ long years they showed complete inertia, ignorance and idleness with respect to the Ipswich Motorway, the Warrego Highway and the Cunningham Highway—vital national roads in South-East Queensland. I speak now because I did not have enough time this afternoon when I spoke in relation to the member for Oxley’s motion. He correctly pointed out that the Rudd Labor government had invested an unprecedented $26.4 billion in road and rail infrastructure through the nation-building program over a six-year period, from 2008-09 through to 2013-14.

The Rudd government’s budget announcement contained more than $25 billion for key road, rail and port projects. These are creating jobs, they are improving traffic flow, they are improving safety on our roads, they are making it easier for farmers to take their produce to the markets in Brisbane and they are improving the reliability of travel times for commuters between Ipswich and Brisbane and the rural areas outside. It is important that we are improving the long-term productivity of our businesses, whether on farms, in small business or in big establishments like Bradken Engineering in Ipswich or JB Swift meatworks at Dinmore or the aerospace industry associated with the RAAF base at Amberley or the RAAF base at Amberley generally.

I am aggrieved that we had to put up with the absolute apathy of the Howard coalition government for such a long time and that we are now playing catch-up. My constituents talk to me all the time about the fact that they were so frustrated for such a long period of time under the previous government. We are now seeing significant improvements on our roads such as the Cunningham Highway between Aratula and Ipswich. The state of that highway was an absolute disgrace. Constituents spoke to me at shows and at mobile offices at Kalbar and Boonah and other places in the Fassifern. It was appalling what we saw under the Howard government. I had a look at the road many times because I drove upon it when I was doorknocking and campaigning for the 2007 election. I doorknocked businesses all through the Fassifern area around Aratula and spoke to the business operators there. Fortunately the Rudd Labor government has come up with the millions of dollars that we need to fix that road.

We have also seen that almost nothing was done in relation to the Warrego Highway under the Howard government except the Laidley overpass. But the Rudd Labor government is putting tens of millions of dollars into resurfacing that highway and recently we have seen some work in relation to the Haigslea-Amberley intersection. My predecessor was completely ignorant about that intersection for a long time. The Rudd Labor government came along and has put $1.9 million on the table to fix that intersection. The new slip lane as you drive west along the Warrego Highway improves the safety of all the people who travel from Walloon and Rosewood and from the RAAF base at Amberley and who want to go on the Warrego Highway. They live at places like Hatton Vale and Glenore Grove, or up the Brisbane Valley or through Ipswich at Pine Mountain and North Ipswich and Karalee and places like that. They use that intersection all the time. About 50,000 vehicles a day use that part of the Warrego Highway as it goes towards Ipswich near that intersection. It took the Rudd government, after 11½ years of apathy from the previous government, for that intersection to be fixed.

We are also seeing the resurfacing of the Warrego Highway and I commend the state government for the work they are doing there. You can see the difference it makes to the safety and reliability of traffic flow in the area. You can also see what is happening in terms of our local roads—$1.75 billion for the nation’s local roads—with the Roads to Recovery program. Black spot funding of $5.153 million was provided in my electorate to, for example, the Ipswich City Council, the Lockyer Valley Regional Council and the Scenic Rim Council by 30 June this year Nation Building Program. We are seeing record amounts of money being put into the work. I will give you an illustration, Madam Deputy Speaker, of the black spot funding and why it is so important: $800,000 was given to improve the sightlines and signage as well as upgrade line-markings and extend the intersection of the Warrego Highway with Tallegalla Road and Lowood Minden Road at Minden. For years and years and years people have been complaining about that intersection. Almost nothing was done by the previous government in relation to it and it took a Rudd Labor government to do something.

That particular intersection happens to currently be in the federal seat of Dickson. The member for Dickson did nothing about that intersection during his tenure and the people are so frustrated about that particular intersection. It took a Rudd Labor government to actually put $800,000 into that intersection to see it improved. I am pleased to say that that part of the Warrego Highway and the whole of the Somerset Regional Council will be in my seat in the next federal election now the redistribution has been finalised. Sadly the Fassifern Valley and the Lockyer Valley are no longer in my seat, but the Somerset region has been added to about 70 per cent of the City of Ipswich and it is now in my seat. I am pleased that the Rudd government has taken the steps to fix that intersection.

We have seen an enormous amount of money put into the Ipswich Motorway. There is the Ipswich-Logan interchange—$255 million, fully funded by the Australian government. The Dinmore to Goodna section of the Ipswich Motorway—$1.95 billion—is being undertaken. Then there is the Ipswich Motorway upgrade from Wacol to Darra—$700 million. You can see all the work that is being done at the intersection of the Centenary Highway to improve the connectivity and the reliability of traffic flow. For the people who live on the south-west side of Brisbane, through Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley, the Scenic Rim and the Somerset region, it is simply a matter of safety and health. About 1.2 million more people will live in that region of South-East Queensland in the next 20 years. That is an enormous number of people, and the Rudd government is putting an enormous sum of money into that particular area.

We are seeing a huge amount of money being put into the 18 kilometres of new roads from Springfield to Yamanto—an extension of the Centenary Highway—by the state Labor government. We are seeing better local roads and nine new bridges. I commend the state Labor government for the Centenary Highway extension. I look forward to additional funding which might eventually make the Cunningham Highway four lanes to the RAAF base at Amberley.

There are other road projects in South-East Queensland, of course. We need to look at the intersection at Blacksoil. I am working hard in relation to that issue, along with the state member for Ipswich West, Wayne Wendt. We are working with local councils in Ipswich and the Somerset region to lobby for more funding there.

The Ipswich Motorway upgrade is perhaps the greatest demonstration of the failure of the Howard government and a demonstration of the commitment of the Rudd Labor government to the people of the western corridor. It is creating in excess of 4,000 jobs. That is 4,000 people who have jobs, pay taxes, feed their families, consume goods and services and make a contribution. The Origin Alliance has been involved in the Dinmore to Goodna section. A number of companies are involved in that project and it started in the middle of this year. The project is due to be completed in 2012.

In relation to the Wacol to Darra section of the motorway, it is the SAFElink Alliance who have been involved. Very complex traffic changes are being undertaken on this road, but they are so important because up to 100,000 vehicles a day use this motorway at its peak. It is unbelievable that the previous government and its local representative opposed the upgrade of that motorway. I commend the Rudd government for showing its commitment to the people of Ipswich and the rural areas outside by providing road infrastructure.

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