Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Kennedy has raised a number of issues. He raised issues of particular intersections in Queensland. I am, of course, not familiar with every intersection around the country but I can inform him that in Queensland we have increased our spending on road and rail by 126 per cent. That is a total investment of $8.7 billion over six years under the Nation Building Program. We have also, through local government, funded $71.2 million for local roads through the Roads to Recovery program. As part of the economic stimulus we targeted black spots—such as the ones that the member for Kennedy raised—by having a significant increase in the Black Spot Program. In Queensland, that is $12.1 million targeting 38 dangerous spots on local roads. In addition, the member’s electorate will benefit from the $4.5 million we are spending on the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity package in Queensland this year on roadside facilities, rest stops, parking bays and decoupling areas. It is the first time there has been a designated program for that, just as it is the first time there has been a designated program for level rail crossings—$150 million of the economic stimulus nationally dedicated to that. I certainly would be happy to receive representations from the member for Kennedy about the specific intersections that he raised and to get an ascertained response for him on that.

With regard to the Gulf Country, as the member for Kennedy knows, I had the pleasure of his company in Normanton and Karumba earlier this year. As regional development minister I have gone about this country, regardless of the political affiliation of electorates and, as you would be aware, Member for Kennedy, I have been to your seat a number of times. I was there to open the airport at Karumba. There is, undoubtedly, a great deal of potential in Northern Australia. There is also, undoubtedly, a great infrastructure deficit there. I met with one of his mayors today, who told me that the Einasleigh River Bridge project, a project championed by the member for Kennedy and taken up through the Regional Local Community Infrastructure Program, is underway and progressing extremely well. This particular road bridge is why the isolation of Normanton, Karumba and the Gulf Country occurred as a result of the flooding that occurred in Far North Queensland. The buck had been passed between levels of government but the issue had not been addressed. Labor addressed it through the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Indeed, it received the second highest grant under the first round of strategic projects.

With regard to the clean energy corridor, I can inform the member for Kennedy that, during the last sitting fortnight, I met again with the businesses and local government areas concerned. We also had a very successful meeting here in Parliament House where businesspeople, as well as local representatives, were hosted by the member for Kennedy. The Treasurer, the Minister for Resources and Energy and I attended. This program has a great deal of potential. One reason why we are committed to the regional infrastructure fund is that there is potential. If the infrastructure investment is got right, it will achieve much greater returns in increased productivity and increased export performances. We have no doubt that the economy has been held back by those issues.

With regard to the Noarlunga to Seaford rail line, I was also pleased to be with the member for Kingston for the launch. This is a much-needed project, as have been the road upgrades in the southern outskirts of Adelaide. This is a growing community and it requires this infrastructure.

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