Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the member for Shortland's contribution to this House and the additional work she does in and around the whip's office. It is a privilege to be a federal member of parliament. The honour, for me, is to be able to represent my electors of Wright. In this position there is one true performance indicator, and that is re-election, which comes up every three years. There are things we say as federal members that we are judged upon, and there are things that we do. This evening I want to share some of the things that we—inclusive of my staff—have done with key stakeholders in my electorate, including council and peak bodies, that have worked hard to deliver on some outstanding achievements while I have been the federal member for Wright.

Take, for example, the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program, where the government in my electorate contributed $6.8 million to a $9 million Lockyer Creek Bridge upgrade between Helidon and Warrego. The bridge was compromised during the floods, and it is a main thoroughfare. As a result of our capital investment, that bridge is now able to take heavier loads, ensuring product that is grown in the Lockyer Valley is able to get to its markets. Our Roads to Recovery funding was recovered following attempts by those on the other side of this House to abolish it. Logan City Council had their funding renewed at $14.2 million over the next five years. I acknowledge Tom Tate for what he does as the Mayor of Logan in leading that city to prosperity. Lockyer Valley Regional Council have had their funding renewed for $3.78 million over the next five years. Steve Jones is a worthy advocate for the Lockyer Valley and does a great job. Scenic Rim Regional Council had their funding renewed at $4.4 million over the next five year. John Brent, with 34 years in local government, does an outstanding job in steering that community around. All those mayors were here last week as part of the Local Government Association, when they met with federal government officials. I am proud to announce that this year in our budget measures we sought to double Roads to Recovery funding.

Being a federal member is not just all about building roads. There are social issues that we need to address. Late last year we were able to deliver 21 new aged care places in Beaudesert, estimated to be worth just under $400,000. Earlier on in the year, in the environmental sector, we had the 25th anniversary of Landcare grants. I commend Tamborine Mountain Landcare, who received $10,000 for their Areca Gully restoration project. They do an awesome job in the advocacy for and their hands-on approach to the environment.

Earlier this year we ran some black spot programs, and the recipients included Mount Nathan, which received $1.262 million in black spot funding to fix a significantly dangerous road. There was $223,000 to relocate a power pole, resurface the intersection and upgrade the line markings at the intersection of Anna Street and Eagles field Street in Beaudesert, which local residents have been complaining about, there having been a number of accidents. There was $205,000 for the Birnam Range Road near Beaudesert, to remove roadside hazards and improve the superelevation and edge lines on one section of the road. There was $53,000 to upgrade signage and install chevron alignment markers, edge lines and guideposts to a section of Kooralbyn Road. I will continue to advocate for the Kooralbyn community for a road that will connect them to Boonah, which will cost roughly $10 million. It would bring so much more economic prosperity to the area, capitalising on weekend traffic for the tourism sector. There is $420,000 to improve the intersection alignment and signage and install street lights at the intersection of Tenthill Creek Road, Ingoldsby Road and Kreskes Road at Lower Tenthill. There is still more to do in that area, and as the federal government we are committed to working with the state government in identifying priorities. There is $160,000 to improve intersection visibility, ban parking near the intersection, construct indented parking bays and install a pedestrian refuge and additional street lighting at the intersection of Old College Road and Allan Street in Gatton. All of those black spot projects are in the shires I mentioned earlier.

From a Green Army perspective there is a great story—$28,000 for three PCYC Natural Bridge Gondwana Youth Rainforest Rescue projects endorsed by the Bornhoffen PCYC Leadership Development Centre and an additional $80,000 for eight Scenic Rim Region Green Army project teams administered through that area. I recently had the pleasure of touring a couple of the sites, in particular over at Canungra, where I joined the mayor, John Brent, and the deputy mayor, Virginia West. We met with a number of local long-term unemployed people. That project was the epitome of how giving people confidence can transform them—the confidence that grew within that group of young people. The supervisor of the group advised us that when the project first started you could hardly get 'boo' out of the participants. But all of them were eager to display their wares and share with us during our visit what they had learnt.

Earlier in the year, under the Bridges Renewal Program, Middletons Bridge in Lockrose received $646,000 worth of repairs, which the Lockyer Valley Regional Council will undertake. I commend Janice Holstein for her advocacy in lobbying for that funding. Darcy Edmunds Bridge, the main thoroughfare through Jimboomba, is set to receive $1.4 million worth of repairs and upgrades. Under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program there was $375,000 for road upgrades to Sandy Creek Road in the Bromelton area focusing on improved heavy vehicle access for safety. Then there is the National Highway Upgrade Program, with $10 million for the Cunningham Highway from Mutdapilly to Warrill View pavement rehabilitation.

In addition to that, in April 2015 the National Shed Development Program allocated $5,500 to the Tamborine Mountain men's shed in funding for some awnings and some concrete. The men's shed president, Allan Meyers, is the driving force of that men's shed and deserves to be commended on its outstanding performance for the community. Under the Saluting Their Service commemorations program the Logan Village RSL sub-branch received just over $2,000 to restore a 1944 Second World War Ford Blitz ambulance. A passionate convoy of workers worked for many tireless hours to bring that project to fruition. I acknowledge Terry Flanagan for his contribution. There were also many Anzac Day centenary grants. Eleven RSLs and community groups received funding to prepare special commemorations for the centenary of Anzac Day, all of which our community owned.

Gelita Australia is a gelatine factory in my electorate. It is owned by a German manufacturing company. They were at the crossroads as to whether they would continue to invest. There was a $6.5 million upgrade that needed to be done at the plant, and they were contemplating not investing that money. But when the federal government gave a commitment to co-partner with them to the tune of $1.25 million, the German parent company made the decision that Australia was worth investing in. They create gelatine from a by-product of cattle, which strengthens the value of our cattle market. Better screening of their gelatine product will allow them now to potentially move into the pharmaceuticals field and provide gelatine for the small capsules used in receiving medication.

But there is much more to do. There is much more to do in the way of investment in telecommunications. There is more to do in the development of Bromelton. There are many more bridges that still need work to be done. In the shire of Scenic Rim there are no fewer than 132 bridges that have a maintenance program. And of course there is a lot to do in the jobs area around the high levels of unemployment, in particular for our youth. As the federal member, I will continue to work hard and to keep my electorate informed of the work that our government is doing to ensure a positive and vibrant future.