Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her interest and her ongoing involvement in regional development. As she referred to, the independent review of the RDA program has been submitted to the minister, and the government is considering its response. I had the opportunity this week, as I am sure the member has had—as there have been many councils, mayors and RDAs in the parliament this week for the ALGA conference—and it is important that we have the opportunity, to listen to those local communities' ideas. The minister is considering the report. As part of the government's ongoing commitment to regional growth, it is important that we liaise with local communities about regional opportunities.

The government is committed to regional Australia. There are many ways that we can work with our local communities to invest in their future. On this side of the House we do believe in the future of regional Australia; I am sure the member for Indi does as well. We are working to build a better, stronger and safer regional Australia where everyone can get ahead. You would have seen programs announced in the most recent budget which go directly to that. We are delivering a record $75 billion infrastructure investment program, for projects right around regional Australia, which will assist with the regional development and decentralisation committee's challenge that the member referred to.

I look at projects like the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail, which will go through the member's own electorate, but, of course, is being championed by the Deputy Prime Minister himself, the member for Groom, the member for Riverina, the member for Maranoa—and the member for Parkes has raised it once or twice or a thousand times as well. The Pacific Highway duplication is another project which has been well received throughout regional Australia, by the member for Lyne, the member for Page and the member for Cowper. We have seen $6.7 billion for the Bruce Highway program, which has been very well received throughout regional Australia.

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