John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party, Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

You know what? Because it supports regional families in need of support when they come to get health care in our cities such as that one. There is $2.8 million—why does the opposition hate these sort of projects in regional communities—for Kingston Park community hub in the electorate of the member for Franklin. For the Moss Vale Enterprise Corridor in the electorate of the member for Whitlam there is $4.6 million. Those opposite are not interested in regional Australia.

If the Labor Party got back into power, can you picture them in regional Australia? You'd have the Leader of the Opposition there, jumping in the front seat of the ute. He'd be wondering how to get a regional economy going. He'd turn to his colleagues and say, 'How do we get it going? Why won't it go?' He'd say, 'We must have the brake on.' Regional Australia knows that is the potential under a Labor government in the future, should that dreaded outcome happen. They talk a big game but, when the rubber hits the road, the contrast is stark. The shoddy, shambolic Leader of the Opposition may be able to hoodwink his party room. He might be able to take a two-faced approach, saying different things in Melbourne's CBD to what he may say in regional Queensland in relation to the infrastructure and resources industries, the very industries providing jobs and opportunities for the regional families of the future. How dare the opposition talk about regional Australia? They have no idea. The coalition, the National and Liberal parties, which represent the bulk of regional Australians—that's right: the bulk of regional Australia—will continue to support them going forward, because they are the future of our country. The opposition do not get that. Regional Australia dreads the opposition. They have shown their shortcomings in the past so many times.

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