Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am having trouble hearing myself. There is $180 million for works at the Nambour roundabout. There is a total of $1.6 billion that the federal government is spending on the Bruce Highway in my neck of the woods and the neck of the woods of the member for Fairfax. We have also committed to a $10 billion National Rail Program.

We are supporting small businesses. We have extended the $20,000 instant asset write-off, we have provided $300 million to incentivise the cutting of red tape and we have provided a tax cut to small businesses of 27½ per cent. We are also supporting education because education delivers the jobs of the future. The federal government has committed $266 million extra over 10 years for schools in Fisher. It is an average of $7½ million per school. That is not to mention the $5 million commitment for the Thompson Institute in my seat of Fisher for research into mental health. I know the other side will not give that a hard time; I am sure they will be supporting that.

Let's look at the Queensland budget: zero for the rail duplication between Beerburrum and Nambour, zero for the Bruce Highway south of Caloundra and zero for the Mooloolah River interchange. There is no new money for the Sunshine Motorway north of Pacific Paradise and no new money for the Bruce Highway between Caloundra Road and the Sunshine Motorway. The allocation for capital purchases for the whole region was worse than inner Brisbane alone or in Ipswich, Darling Downs, Gold Coast, Townsville or Fitzroy. The Sunshine Coast got left behind.

Today I notice that the Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports, Mark Bailey, has put out an announcement. Despite the fact that the budget was announced last week, today he comes out and says, 'Okay, yes, we will fund the upgrade of the Bruce Highway—the 20 per cent south of Caloundra.' Nowhere is that stated in the budget papers. They have just plucked this money out of nowhere. They have made an announcement now only because of the good works of the member for Fairfax, the member for Wide Bay and myself. We have shamed the Labor government into finally providing the upgrades south of Caloundra.

Honourable members interjecting—

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