Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Hansard source

I love my electorate of Capricornia and all it has to offer. Since my election as the federal representative, I'm proud to put on record that I have delivered an historical investment of over $6 billion in funding for major infrastructure and key community projects. These projects, delivered under the coalition government, have guaranteed the Central Queensland region continues to flourish and have ensured that Capricornia goes from strength to strength. Every day I work hard to see Capricornia succeed through a diverse economy where mining, agriculture and tourism create wealth for our families and small businesses. Working alongside my community, I have supported our region to be one of the most livable regions in the nation. Some of the best schools in the country, sporting facilities, infrastructure and support networks have made Capricornia the envy of Australia.

The seat of Capricornia is best known for being Australia's hub for agriculture. It is internationally renowned for the quality of beef produced. Recognising the potential for further agricultural growth, I fought hard alongside former member for Flynn Mr Ken O'Dowd for the construction of Rookwood Weir. Following several hold-ups from the Queensland Labor government, I was proud to secure a total of $183.6 million of funding through the National Water Grid Fund to deliver this vital project for Central Queensland. Water infrastructure projects such as Rookwood Weir are vital to the growth and diversification of industrial and regional agriculture. Rookwood Weir is the largest weir to be built since World War II. At the peak of its construction, over 300 Central Queenslanders were employed, which has further bolstered the region's economy. Construction for this incredible feat of engineering was completed at the end of 2023. With the recent wet weather across Central Queensland, the weir quickly filled to its full capacity of 86,000 megalitres. This water is now allowing farmers in the region to farm high-yield crops and continue to bolster the local economy.

Unfortunately, this Labor government is unable to see the importance of water infrastructure for Australia. In the May 2023 budget, Labor redirected over $872 million from the National Water Grid Fund to prop up other government priorities. Almost $7 billion in crucial dam and water infrastructure projects has now been cut since Labor came to office. Taking away essential infrastructure required to produce food and fibre takes away the next generation's future in the agricultural industry.

In Labor's first budget, in 2022, the only water infrastructure project they were willing to invest $32 million towards was the planning of the Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro scheme dams. Unlike Rookwood Weir, which will serve to entrench agriculture production and the economic benefits in Central Queensland, or the Urannah Dam, which was able to provide water infrastructure to the agriculture industry, water security for North Queensland and an ability to be used for pumped hydroelectricity production, the Pioneer-Burdekin scheme will only serve one function—renewable energy production. It seems ridiculous to fund a project for only one purpose, that will cost billions of dollars and that will also displace families from their properties on prime agricultural land and flood pristine wilderness. To distribute renewable energy, more than $100 billion will need to be spent on 28,000 kilometres of transmission lines. These poles and wires will run through farming land, national parks and suburbs. Aside from the huge environmental impact of this rollout, every dollar spent will be passed on to Australians in the form of higher electricity bills.

This government is lacking foresight in investing in energy solutions that work, such as nuclear energy. Labor's plan to decarbonise the Australian economy isn't working and is causing our country to lag behind other developed nations who utilise nuclear energy to reduce their carbon footprint while keeping their energy supply firm. Next generation, small modular nuclear technologies are safe, are reliable, are cost-effective, can be plugged into existing grids where we have turned off coal, and emit zero emissions. Instead, Labor's plans in their first two budgets have shown they are intent on destroying agricultural land, remnant vegetation and pristine wilderness for out-of-date technologies for energy production.

As seen in our electricity bills, investments by this government towards heavy reliance on renewable energy will continue to force power prices higher. Australians' power bills will continue to spiral out of control, with increases by $500 predicted. The cost of groceries is also soaring, with Australians paying eight per cent more to feed their families. Australians are set to see their grocery bill increase even more, with Labor's fresh-food tax set to hit the hip pockets of farmers and consumers. This Labor government is out of touch with regional Australia and the immense contribution the agriculture industry makes to our economy.

Capricornia has long been an electorate whose agriculture industry has contributed to the billions of dollars poured into our economy. Unlike those opposite, the coalition government understood that regional Australia is the engine room of the economy, which is why it invested in a number of projects in Capricornia. With beef one of Capricornia's largest commodities, the triannual Beef Week event has put Rockhampton on the map for all things beef. While in government I secured a total of $9.65 million for Beef Week across three events. I was pleased to see the Labor government match our election commitment of $6 million for Beef Week 2024. The coalition understood how important this event is for not just the Rockhampton region but also the entire beef industry, which consists of 7,800 beef cattle farmers and many other beef focused businesses at the forefront of developing and delivering improved farming practices. The event is a key economic driver for Rockhampton and beyond, generating more than $90 million in economic activity for the greater Rockhampton region and a further almost $60 million for Queensland. Beef Week 2021 attracted a crowd of 115,000 people who consumed more than 63 tonnes of beef during the event.

As Capricornia is leading the way in the beef industry, I also delivered over $200,000 for CQUniversity to research meat traceability through the National Livestock Identification System. CQUniversity is one of Australia's leading regional universities, delivering higher education courses for the needs of growing industries. One such sector that is continuing to grow, despite Labor's efforts to stifle it, is the mining and resources industry, and I am delighted to see CQUniversity's school of mining officially open. The school of mining and manufacturing was made possible through the coalition government's support and the $30 million of funding I delivered for these projects. These facilities will enable Central Queensland mining and manufacturing industry partners to access a highly skilled workforce within the region which will drive future economic growth.

The resources and mining sector is on the precipice of another mining boom, with global needs for minerals and metals beginning to grow with the development of new technologies. The 2021-22 financial report of the Queensland Resources Council said the resources sector employed 1,819 locals in Capricornia and produced $315 million of gross product. However, Labor wants to suppress the industry that secured their one-off $4 billion surplus through implementing their carbon tax and preventing investment in the coal and gas industries. More taxes and lack of investment in the last budget into the resources and agriculture industries is the thanks the sectors received after being the main contributors to the $4 billion surplus.

Regional Australians were also big losers in the last budget, with infrastructure investment in the regions at an all-time low under the Labor government. The nation's wealth is produced in the regions, and the coalition saw this and rewarded the hard work of these communities. I was able to secure many road and infrastructure upgrades such as a $25 million Alliance heavy maintenance hangar, $126.4 million for the Rockhampton northern access upgrade, $120 million for the Walkerston bypass and $224.6 million in safety upgrades, road improvements and bridge upgrades on the Peak Downs Highway. After an enormous fight to ensure this government kept his word, the Rockhampton ring road is back on track with full funding back on the table after this Labor government attempted to throw the project on the scrap heap. The Rockhampton ring road is a crucial piece of infrastructure for the region, and without the fight and tenacity of Central Queensland businesses we'd have seen the project put on the backburner indefinitely under this government.

Unfortunately, it's not just the Rockhampton ring road which faced the chopping block but also $3.6 billion of upgrades to the Bruce Highway, of which $2.9 billion was federally funded. This stretch of highway remains one of Australia's most dangerous to travel. Last year hundreds of people lost their lives on the Bruce Highway. With Labor's recent announcement of the funding proponent changing from an 80-20 split to a 50-50, more lives will be at risk. It's not all good news, with the Queensland Beef Corridors upgrade and sealing of 457 kilometres put on the backburner. This would have provided an integral part of continuing to deliver high-value commodities that keep the lights on for Australia.

My electorate is vast and covers over 90,000 square kilometres. I spend a lot of my time travelling between the many towns, visiting constituents and small businesses. The upgrades that have been to improve safety have literally saved lives, but there is much more that needs to be done. When I visited the small country school of Clarke Creek, one student, no more than 11 years of age, asked me when I would fix the country road he is forced to travel on every day to and from school—a road that was filled with potholes so enormous they covered half of each lane, making it virtually impossible not to hit.

Cutting essential regional road programs is a ludicrous decision from this government. They are programs which not only save lives but are nation-building projects. The continuous cuts to infrastructure result in a slowing of our economic growth and hinder what is needed to tackle inflation. Every time a project has its funding deferred and its delivery delayed by Labor, the cost of delivering the project goes up and Australians are left paying higher prices. It's not just essential road projects that have faced the axe under this government. Programs like the Building Better Regions Fund and the regional development program were also cut, with no alternative funding schemes. Regional funding programs are vital for supporting rural and regional Australia through job creation, economic growth and building stronger communities well into the future.

Capricornia benefited greatly from regionally focused funding programs to secure important facilities taken for granted by the cities. Projects to benefit from these programs include $1.63 million for a new helicopter hangar for CQ Rescue, $160,000 for Palmyra Dragway's track upgrade, $425,000 for the Collinsville CWA's new hall and over $79,000 for new lighting for the Rockhampton's AFL team's home ground. There is billions of dollars worth of investment in my communities that would improve the liveability of Capricornia. Labor is treating regional Australia with so much disdain that not only are they cutting the vital funding programs for community groups the regions rely on; they have yet to provide any tangible solutions to improving the cost-of-living pressures my constituents face.

Finally, I ask: are Australia and my electorate of Capricornia better off today than they were a year ago? Under this government and in only 18 months, the cost of living continues to go up, gas and electricity bills continue to skyrocket, wages are stagnant, inflation remains stubbornly high, unemployment will rise and Australians will pay higher taxes. What Australians need right now is a government that will create policies that will strengthen the economy, not hinder it through taxes; a government that will support the hardworking middle class to prosper, not to create Australia's new working poor; and a government that can recognise the significance of regional Australia and the economy driving industries that contribute greatly to the economy.

See this speech in context