Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

We are getting on with the job of building these projects and others. We will continue to do it. We will continue to employ Australians, and we will continue to make sure local procurement is something that is important for all of those projects that we are rolling out. They are creating jobs. They are creating opportunities. The member talks about the Rockhampton, in Capricornia. We've got on and we're investing in the $176 million Rookwood Weir. Those opposite could only dream about water infrastructure. The member for Watson, when he had carriage of that portfolio, wanted to take the water away from the irrigators.

We're building infrastructure to make sure that we store more water, because it is Australia's most valuable resource. That's what we're doing. Not only are we building infrastructure; not only are we building the rail, with $9.3 billion for the Inland Rail, which is that 1,700 kilometre corridor of commerce between Melbourne and Brisbane; not only are we developing our ports; not only are we developing remote airstrips and getting on with the job of building better roads but we are also building confidence and we are building strength in our economy. You know what? We'll keep doing it—now, next year, the year after that and the year after that. Australians know it. They have every confidence in us to deliver that pipeline of investment. You'll talk about it. We'll just get on and we'll do it.

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