Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Minister update the House on how regional and rural New South Wales is benefiting from the government's actions to improve infrastructure across the state?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. Over recent days I have been talking about some of the major projects that are occurring in our capital cities which are really building the infrastructure that they will need for the century ahead, but there is also critical work being undertaken on regional roads. Certainly our $50 billion program for infrastructure across the nation embraces projects in country Australia and on our major regional highways. For instance, the Roads to Recovery Program, the Black Spot Program, the Heavy Vehicle Safety Productivity package, the National Highway Upgrade Program and the Bridges Renewal Program are all delivering very worthwhile projects in the honourable member's electorate and right across the country.

The Commonwealth is providing $120 million in conjunction with New South Wales for 27 new road projects under the Heavy Vehicle Safety Program; and $26 million of that amount is being spent in the honourable member's electorate on very important projects to enable heavy transport to move more freely around our country.

New South Wales is receiving $25 million under the first round of the Bridges Renewal Program, with 28 new bridges to be provided across the state. Many of them are on small country roads, delivering that last mile of infrastructure that is so important to the system. Under the Roads to Recovery Program, councils in New South Wales will receive $71 million—

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Hunter!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That amount will be doubled in 2015-16; $142 million for councils to spend on local roads of their choice, which will make a significant difference again to the quality of their road network. Under the National Highway Upgrade Program, $61 million is being provided for heavy duty pavement on the Newell Highway; and $21 million will be provided for Black Spot projects in New South Wales. Those are the kinds of things that this government has been able to do by working in partnership with the Baird-Grant government in New South Wales to ensure that New South Wales gets the infrastructure that it needs.

Of course there are really big projects as well, like the 2,000 workers currently engaged in upgrading the Pacific Highway so we will finally achieve the objective of having a four-lane connection between Sydney and Brisbane. There is work going on also on New England Highway, Tenterfield bypass, Bolivia Hill, the Moree bypass, Great Western Highway and Barton Highway. There will be a number of safety works projects being undertaken at Kennedy Drive in Tweed Heads and of course at Riverside Drive near Nambucca Heads. These are all examples of this government getting on with the job of providing roads in capital cities and in regional New South Wales, which will make such a difference to our nation.