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

I am pleased to inform the House of the positive progress that the Turnbull-Joyce government and I are making in delivering serious and tangible infrastructure projects to my electorate of Capricornia. I am proud to report that in two and a bit years I have been working hard for Capricornia and I have helped to secure over $550 million—that is over half a billion dollars—in funding for infrastructure projects across the electorate. Such projects are designed to stimulate economic activity and employment. Some of these have a long-term outlook.

Recently, $20 million in federal funding was announced for three key projects under the federal government's National Stronger Regions program. This includes: $2.3 million for the RACQ Capricorn Helicopter Rescue to construct a new hangar and medical aviation centre in Rockhampton; $7 million towards the revamp and upgrade of the Rockhampton riverbank development on the Fitzroy in the CBD to stimulate visitor activity; and $10 million towards stages 4 and 5 of the Yeppoon beach foreshore redevelopment on the Capricorn coast as part of a major economic job creation and tourist drawcard.

These funds come on top of $9.9 million in joint federal-state funding under the category D Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements to aid in the continued recovery of Cyclone Marcia. This is being spread across six projects including: $2 million to top up a fund in Livingstone shire to rebuild the Scenic Highway, or Statue Bay Road. Joint government funding now totals nearly $12 million for this project; $3 million to continue further rebuilding of Kershaw Gardens in Rockhampton; and $5.2 million towards fixing stormwater problems in Frenchville Road and York Street at Splitters Creek Crossing in Rockhampton. It also strengthens the rebuild of Pilbeam Drive, Glenmore Water Treatment Plant, Dean Street, Capricorn Street and Elphinstone Street in Rockhampton. The people of Frenchville and other parts of North Rockhampton deserve to have their problems fixed. I am proud that the Turnbull-Joyce government is chipping in to help them out.

It is recognised that, due to current mining downturn, the local economy in Capricornia is doing it tough. The $30 million investments in infrastructure, which I have just outlined, will go a long way to stimulating economic activity and job potential in these areas. Our federal coalition government has already been investing heavily in road-building projects to provide jobs to help offset the mining sector downturn. This includes: $166 million to fix up the Eton Range section on the notorious Peak Downs Highway west of Mackay, where work began in January; $38.26 million to replace seven old bridges in Isaac and Rockhampton shires under the federal Bridges Renewal Program; $8.5 million on overtaking lanes on the Bruce Highway near Sarina; $15.5 million to construct three new overtaking lanes and to extend a fourth lane along the Bruce Highway from Rockhampton to north of Gladstone; $29.4 million in Roads to Recovery grants over five years to help fix up council roads and streets in five shires, including Rockhampton, Livingstone, Isaac, Mackay and Whitsunday; and $136 million to complete the stage 2 Yeppen south flood plain project on the Bruce Highway south of Rockhampton, which opened in December.

Further to this, we are improving mobile phone coverage in Capricornia with a $3.14 million program to build or upgrade four new base stations, delivering better services to families in areas around Clarke Creek, Marlborough, Mount Chalmers Road between Rockhampton and Yeppoon, and Gargett in the Pioneer Valley. There are also 16 Green Army projects in Capricornia from Mackay, Yeppoon and Rockhampton, providing young people with work experience in environmental projects.

Further to this, the Commonwealth Attorney-General and I announced the appointment of a new permanent Federal Court judge in Rockhampton. Judge Anne Demack took up her position this month. Rockhampton has the highest rate of domestic violence in Queensland per capita, and this new role is a significant step forward to help those with Family Court disputes, domestic violence and custody rows.