Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

r VASTA () (): I rise today to bust the myths of this motion and to speak on the infrastructure investment commitments our government has made and is making right across our country. Our government hears the needs of Australians, and we respond. That is why, during this year's budget, we made it clear that we were building the infrastructure our country needs for the future, with our 10-year, $110 billion investment pipeline for better roads, faster commutes and, most importantly, making sure Australians can get home sooner and more safely. We've also invested a further $1 billion in road safety upgrades to save lives and a further $1 billion in local road infrastructure projects.

In my electorate of Bonner, our government is delivering for locals. In September I went to see the upgrades to the M1 between Sports Drive and the Gateway Motorway, thanks to the $110 billion investment pipeline. This is a 3.5-kilometre upgrade which is part of the broader $750 million, eight-kilometre M1 Eight Mile Plains to Daisy Hill project. By alleviating congestion along critical sections of roads like this one, we're helping freight more and more between our cities and we're generating jobs across the country.

I'm especially proud of my ongoing partnership with the Brisbane City Council and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Working together for our community, we have a strong track record of upgrading local roads and building a better Brisbane. Last month the lord mayor and I visited some of the works currently underway. My electorate is home to Newnham Road and Wecker Road, whose intersection is rated by the RACQ as the fifth most dangerous in Queensland. There is great urgency within the community to fix this problem area, and I was proud to secure $12 million in funding for this project, which will be delivered by the Brisbane City Council. It will involve the construction of new turning lanes, signalised pedestrian crossings, improved footpaths and the coordination of traffic lights.

Our government, with the Brisbane City Council, is also contributing to the Brisbane Metro project. This is a major project, and one that is strongly aligned with our plan to reduce emissions. We are contributing $300 million to this vital project, with construction of a new depot facility currently underway at School Road in Rochedale in my electorate. The depot will provide storage for the new battery electric Brisbane Metro fleet, advanced charging infrastructure, maintenance and staff facilities. Brisbane Metro will have four stops in Bonner. With transport being one of the major sources of carbon emissions, this project demonstrates the importance of working with all levels of government to reduce our footprint across the country. It is fantastic to see our government leading these initiatives and forging the way for a cleaner and greener public transport system.

The last time I spoke on the Lindum crossing in this House, I was pleased to share the long-awaited upgrades that were getting underway. I've been fighting for this upgrade since 2017, when over 7,000 locals in Bonner signed my petition to fix the Lindum crossing. We were successful in 2019, with the federal government committing $85 million to this worthy project. Brisbane City Council have also come to the table, with $40 million to fix the Lindum crossing. This month we commenced the first stages of the immediate safety upgrades to the crossing, thanks to $1 million from our federal funds. These works will include the installation of new and extended median islands, as well as new on-road line markings and resurfacing. This weekend there are scheduled upgrades to the rail corridor. This first stage is critical to ensuring the crossing is safe for all our community while more extensive planning can be undertaken for the long-term grade separation of Lindum crossing. We are monitoring this vital project and we're fixing Lindum once and for all.

What is more important is working alongside Brisbane City Council, because we've also started construction on the Chelsea Road and Rickertt Road intersection upgrade and the Wakerley bikeway project in Ransome. I was very pleased to secure $6 million in funding for this vital project. Our government has also allocated $14 million towards fixing the notorious Rochedale roundabout, which will improve the intersection safety for all commuters and cater for future traffic demands in this fast-growing suburb.

I've spoken about many projects today that are underway in Bonner, and with this funding delivered by the Morrison government to benefit our local roads and address the needs of commuters our commitment to infrastructure funding could not be stronger.

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