Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to speak on the Rookwood weir proposal. Central Queensland is a diverse region with different people and different industries. Not only do we have the largest mandarin plantation in the Southern Hemisphere, we have the Bowen Basin, full of rich coking coal and thermal coal. We have three aluminium refineries and smelters in Gladstone which are fed by bauxite from Weipa. We have three gas plants fuelled by CSG. CQ also has agricultural production. Beef production is paramount but we also have blueberries and macadamias, cotton, sunflower, wheat and chickpeas. Of course, we have a diverse range of other agricultural products, but there are too many to mention. We also have goldmines in Flynn and sapphire mines at Sapphire and Rubyvale.

These industries drive the local economy and jobs and are testament to how diverse and important the region is to the national economy. The people of Flynn are also very diverse. Despite their diversity, they all have some common needs and goals. On my travels around the electorate, it is quite clear that people want to see more jobs, more water and more affordable electricity to drive industries. They want Rookwood weir. They want the 2,100 jobs in construction and the $1 billion in agricultural investment to follow. They want to know that cities like Gladstone and Rockhampton will have sufficient water for future development—a future with industry and economic growth. They also want to know that we can still build big things through major projects for the area and that we can droughtproof the whole of Central Queensland.

However, we have run into a wall block. The Queensland state government does not seem to share our goals or what the constituents of Central Queensland want. We have committed $130 million to the construction of Rookwood Weir and $2 million for a feasibility study to conduct the business case and so on. This only gets us halfway there, and we need the state government to back our plan with another $130 million to get the job done. The state government needs to serve the people by fronting up with the balance and the construction funds that are desperately needed to achieve these goals, to prioritise the business case and to get the job done as soon as possible. The attitude of the government leaves me a little bit astounded; however, it must address this issue as soon as possible. We want the Rookwood Weir.

Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for members' constituency statements has concluded.