Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

On the ground; absolutely, the member for Forrest. Getting back to the Kapooka Bridge, it has been delayed for months. They are busy building nesting boxes and doing all those sorts of things to protect wildlife, which is important. But why does it take months? This is a project which has been decades in the making, absolute decades, and it is being held up through, I would argue, unnecessary environmental concerns. And it is an important project, because that new bridge will save lives. It will save lives, and it will improve and protect the livelihoods of those people who use that road as a freight corridor.

This is a very good report. I commend the committee for its diligent work. I commend the one-stop-shop process. I think that was an excellent decision by the coalition government, and an excellent decision by the Minister for the Environment, who understands the need to preserve and protect our environment whilst at the same time ensuring that we have the economic growth to make this country not just great but even greater; indeed, the greatest country on earth.

Debate adjourned.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 10:42

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