Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

The Deputy Prime Minister was talking about our motivation for the investments in our regions in this budget, because only one side of politics will support regional Australia, and it's this side of politics. There has been $100 billion of investment in regional Australia since we have come to government, and last night's budget laid down another $21 billion of investment in our regions. There's been investment in infrastructure, whether it's water infrastructure like the Hells Gates Dam, which can help create more agriculture production that can be exported to the world, creating jobs here at home; whether it's our $1.3 billion telecommunications package to support regional Australia, to deal with black spots and build greater connectivity; or whether it's the work we did in terms of regional health to give more people in regional Australia access to MRI machines when they need it. And regional doctors: we are encouraging people to undertake training as a doctor and to work and live in our regions.

There's transport infrastructure, like Outback Way. And numerous other programs, like Tanami Road, have been designed to create jobs across the region. As the Deputy Prime Minister outlined, there's a $2 billion accelerator fund, with further investments in export market development grants, in our manufacturing initiative, in our modern recycling plan and in creating more apprentices across regional Australia. Then, of course, there's the $7.1 billion in four priority areas: across the Northern Territory at Middle Arm, in the Pilbara in Western Australia, in the Hunter in New South Wales and then unlocking the potential of the Burdekin in northern and Central Queensland. These are our policies to create the jobs of the future. They're in our budget. They're part of our vision for a stronger economy and a stronger Australia.

See this speech in context