Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to inform the House that Central Queenslanders will benefit from a plan to spend $190 million on defence infrastructure in the Rockhampton-Livingstone regions in the coming years. The announcement stems from the Turnbull Liberal-Nationals government's white paper for defence.

The funding will upgrade the Shoalwater Bay training area, which is already considered one of the best sites for international military exercises in the Pacific. This facility is located just north of Rockhampton adjoining the Livingstone Shire. Shoalwater Bay will be upgraded to support a range of new land combat and amphibious warfare capabilities over the next decade to 2025-26, representing an investment of up to $150 million. An additional investment of around $40 million is planned for the decade between 2025-26 and 2035-36. New facilities at Shoalwater Bay will support the introduction of new armed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance unmanned aircraft in the early 2020s.

In the meantime, I am continuing talks with both the defence minister and assistant minister on a proposal to relocate a contingent of military warfare vehicles at Shoalwater Bay permanently. If it occurs, this would allow military families to be based in Rockhampton, which would help to diversify the city's workforce and would be good for business and schools.