Kirsten Livermore (Capricornia, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is my great pleasure today to use this morning’s speech to congratulate the civic leadership of Rockhampton and Yeppoon, as well as the state members and other individuals who were instrumental in ensuring that the water pipeline between Rockhampton and Yeppoon will proceed. Yeppoon and the greater Capricorn Coast are increasingly popular tourist destinations, and they are also experiencing massive residential growth, mainly as a result of the resources boom that is taking place in the Central Queensland region. The Livingstone shire is in fact one of the fastest growing shires in Queensland, with scores of people choosing the idyllic lifestyle that the Livingstone area provides over the bigger cities.

This pipeline will give the Capricorn Coast sufficient water capacity to take the area to the year 2040. This is obviously a great milestone for the area. Not only will this pipeline provide the Capricorn Coast with a reliable source of water but it will also protect the pristine Sandy Creek area from potential future environmental damage caused by water extractions. The pipeline, travelling some 30 kilometres from the Rockhampton barrage to Yeppoon, will ensure that the Capricorn Coast is well prepared for the future.

This outcome was made possible by the tireless efforts of individuals such as Margaret Strelow, the Mayor of Rockhampton; Bill Ludwig, the Mayor of Livingstone Shire; the state member for Keppel, Paul Hoolihan MP; and Mr Kim Mobbs, the Chairman of the Central Queensland Area Consultative Committee. These people are the real heroes of this project. But, as the National Party see it, all the credit can go to Senator Ron Boswell and Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile, who would have us believe that they single-handedly secured the pipeline. The fact of the matter is that the project is to be funded three ways, with the state government, the federal government and the Livingston Shire Council each contributing a third of the almost $50 million cost.

I say again, had it not been for the tireless efforts of individuals like Bill Ludwig and Kim Mobbs, in particular, this project would never have gotten off the ground. The teamwork displayed by these individuals should serve as an illustration to us all that we can achieve more as a group than as individuals. As is usual in situations such as these, none of the key players are out there blowing their own trumpets, as are certain members of the National Party. All criticism aside, though, everyone involved in getting this major project off the ground deserves to be thanked for their efforts. The pipeline, which is expected to commence construction next year, will be a major plus for the Capricorn Coast residents as well as the thriving tourism industry.