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

He's a good member for Cowper, I tell you! He's looking after those communities and people on the Mid North Coast, and he's making sure that the infrastructure is being rolled out in Cowper and, indeed, the rest of the country—$110 billion of investment in infrastructure, to make such a difference to the lives and livelihoods of people who live in regional Australia, who live in our nation. Our plan invests in every region, in every electorate and in every community, through more than 32,000 projects across Australia.

In the budget, the Coffs Harbour Bypass project received an additional almost half a billion dollars to ensure the delivery of this project which will remove more than 12,000 vehicles per day from the Coffs Harbour CBD; which will deliver travel-time savings of 11 minutes, bypassing up to 12 sets of traffic lights; and which will deliver 12,000 direct and indirect jobs. We understand that investments in roads and railways are an investment in business, in local communities and in the future.

The Singleton bypass is a $700 million project which will deliver significant benefits for the community and local industry. A prominent local from the area, who often agrees with the policies, the projects, the plans and the philosophies of the government, and disagrees often with the opposition leader and certainly with getting verballed from the member for Isaacs, had this to say:

It's going to make a huge difference not only to the Singleton community but all those commuters to and from work every day, typically coal miners and those in associated industries, it will improve safety and economic efficiency.

I couldn't have said it better myself, member for Hunter. Well done! Come on over, son. Come on over! This project will support 1,370 direct and indirect jobs in communities across the Hunter electorate.

Another project which the member for Cowper referenced, in regional Australia, giving benefit, is the Barwon Heads Road upgrade, a boon for the local community much like the South Geelong to Waurn Ponds rail upgrades. A prominent local from the area said:

I appreciate the Morrison-McCormack Government—

on message—

has taken a bipartisan approach to funding local infrastructure projects. Both projects will have a positive impact on jobs and cut congestion.

We agree with you, member for Corangamite. Thank you very much for this. And it is bipartisan. I'm happy to work with anyone to get infrastructure built, and your attitude and that of the member for Hunter should be replicated right across that side, because it is refreshing, it is warm to hear. I know you're championing us for re-election. I know you want to bring us home.

Our budget is designed to boost jobs and local economies. That's what we're doing—protecting lives and livelihoods through COVID-19 and building the infrastructure that Australians need, want, expect and deserve.

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