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

I thank the member for his question. He refers to the road back from COVID-19—a road which is paved with opportunity, a road which is paved with infrastructure investment, a road which is being helped by the budget that the Treasurer announced this month, a budget which was very, very good for regional Australia. I know that regional members on both sides of the House were very pleased as to what it will achieve and bring to their electorates—not least of which is the $2 billion road safety upgrades. Many of those upgrades will be in regional electorates. There is $1 billion for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. In the member's electorate are Banana Shire Council, Bundaberg Regional Council, Central Highlands Regional Council, Gladstone Regional Council, North Burnett Regional Council, Rockhampton Regional Council, South Burnett Regional Council and Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council—all of which are going to share in $29.6 million under the LRCI Program. And there is $200 million for another round of the highly popular Building Better Regions Fund. That has made such a difference for regional communities.

The member for Flynn represents Gladstone. Gladstone is about coal. Gladstone is about powering Australia's economy. Gladstone is one of those wonderful regional cities, the potential of which is unlimited. Yesterday there was an opportunity for coal for Collinsville, for Gladstone, that was accepted and adopted by this side of the house. One member opposite, the member for Hunter, had a chance to support coal, to support what we are doing. He missed the boat. The ship has sailed.

Ms Butler interjecting—

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