John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will the minister update the House on the progress of the government's $50 billion Infrastructure Investment Program, specifically, the construction of the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing in my electorate of Groom? What benefits will this investment deliver to my community?

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the new member for Groom for his question and his longstanding interest in road, rail and other infrastructure in his electorate and right across regional Australia. Like me, he is proud to be part of a government, the Turnbull-Joyce government, which is building for the future in our cities, in our regional centres and in our country towns. We are getting on with the job of delivering for all parts of Australia.

The Toowoomba Second Range Crossing that the member referred to is a very significant project which is currently under construction in the electorate of Groom. The member actually spoke about this project in his first speech. He knows that this is an infrastructure project that will change lives and will save lives. The member for Groom has been involved in the development of this project for many years in his previous role as a Queensland government MP. I congratulate him on his transition to the federal parliament. Likewise, the member for Maranoa and the member for Wright have been great supporters of this project because they recognise the benefits that it will bring to their communities. They know that those benefits will flow to their communities through infrastructure projects that the Turnbull-Joyce government is delivering right across Australia through this record $50 billion infrastructure investment program.

I was very happy to join the member for Groom in his former role at the start of works in April this year. I was there with the member for Wright on that very auspicious occasion. The government is actually investing in the order of $1.1 billion in this project. I know his predecessor, the former member for Groom, Mr Macfarlane, was also a great supporter of this project because he understood, just as we understand and everyone on this side of the House understands, that when you build that good infrastructure you are investing in jobs in our communities. In the order of 1,800 direct and indirect jobs will flow through to the broader Toowoomba region. When we on this side of the House speak about jobs and growth we are talking about projects like the Toowoomba second range crossing.

The member for Groom understands that the benefits that will flow to his community will extend to the heavy vehicle sector in particular. It will mean that 18 sets of traffic lights will no longer impede the operation of that major route through his community. It will divert in the order of 80 per cent of heavy vehicles out of the regional city of Toowoomba. I do congratulate the member for Groom for his outstanding advocacy on behalf of his community, both in his former role as a state MP and now as a federal MP.

While I am on my feet I take this opportunity to also congratulate the member for Groom for the work he has been doing, along with the member for Maranoa, on another important infrastructure project that will benefit their communities—the Melbourne to Brisbane inland rail. I had the opportunity to be in Warwick last week with both members and meet with their communities in relation to this project, which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the freight task along the eastern seaboard of Australia.

This is a government that it is getting on with the job. This is a government that is delivering the infrastructure that Australia needs in the 21st century. We are actually building for the future. I thank the member for Groom for his question and I wish him well as he continues to advocate on behalf of his community.