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

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on how the government is building the infrastructure hardworking Queenslanders need to get home sooner and safer to their families? Does the Deputy Prime Minister know of any roadblocks to our job-creating plan?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because of a strong economy, we can invest in essential infrastructure such as roads and rail. That's what a strong economy does. I thank the member for Capricornia for her passionate advocacy and for her aspirational people—the 98,000 or so constituents, all of them aspirational, in Yeppoon, Rockhampton and all those areas in the seat of Capricornia that she represents.

She's a strong voice for the people of Central Queensland. She wants to make sure that, every waking moment, she is there trying to build community capacity, making sure that the livability of her communities is enhanced, and she's delivering in spades: $24 million of beef roads and more than $110 million under the Northern Australia Roads Program for the Bowen Developmental Road, Capricorn Highway and Peak Downs Highway. She's investing in her community with $5 million for the Rockhampton Airport Pavement Upgrade project under the Building Better Regions Fund. There's also $12.4 million under the Regional Jobs and Investment Packages—what a great initiative that is!—with a number of projects, including a crocodile-farming and agritourism value-added production system, an on-farm beef-processing facility, an accommodation village, the Fraser Park Redevelopment Project and a new fruit-processing facility for Central Queensland. All these projects build community capacity, as does the $176.1 million Rookwood Weir project. I know how much that's going to help to droughtproof Rockhampton. I know how much capital investment but also commitment has been put into that by the member for Capricornia.

These projects, delivered by her, show exactly how the LNP Team Queensland is delivering for the sunshine state. It's something that the people of Longman also understand. The Liberal and Nationals government here in Canberra is investing $15.4 billion through the Infrastructure Investment Program in Queensland, including an additional $3.3 billion for the Bruce Highway, bringing the total from the Australian government up to $10 billion. There's a billion dollars for the M1 Pacific Motorway. That's going to help Longman. There's $390 million for the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade Project, and I know how much the members for Fairfax and Fisher are relying on and investing in that particular project. That's going to help the people of Longman. There's $300 million for Brisbane Metro, $170 million for the Cunningham Highway—I haven't received any letters of thanks from the member for Blair, but I know it's going to mean a difference for his people—and $160 million for the Outback Way. The Liberal and Nationals' Infrastructure Investment Program, a $75 billion development program, is helping the people of Queensland and the people of Australia.

I'm asked about roadblocks. There he is, right in front of me: the member for Maribyrnong. (Time expired)