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

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister please inform the House how the Morrison-McCormack government's plan for jobs is supporting regional Australia, particularly my state of Queensland, through the continued rollout of infrastructure?

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

I thank the member for Flynn for his question. Before he came into this place he was a fuel distributor for 20 years. His trucks rumbled along the Bruce Highway. They rumbled along the dirt roads. They rumbled along the bitumen roads. Rest assured, we're building better and safer roads and the member for Flynn is having something to do about that. He was a publican. He was a timber and hardware merchant. He knows how to employ people. He knows the value of small business. He contributes mightily to this place and continues to speak up for and on behalf of the small businesses in his electorate and for regional Queensland.

The Prime Minister and I were in regional Queensland last week. We didn't see the Leader of the Opposition there. We were out there talking about the budget. We were out there talking about jobs. We were out there talking about what makes the regions tick. And they were very delighted to see us. They were delighted with the Treasurer's budget, with $110 billion of infrastructure rollouts supporting 100,000 jobs. Whether it's the little pub in a far-flung corner of regional Queensland that is benefiting from a grader driver staying there because we are upgrading the roads, or somebody in a high-rise metropolitan office block doing the geotechnics for a particular road—perhaps the Bruce Highway—they are contributing to our $110 billion pipeline.

The Gladstone port access road extension in the member's electorate is delivering jobs both direct and indirect. It is delivering investment and economic security for the Gladstone region, just like the member for Flynn did when he was a businessman. As I said before, an investment in infrastructure is an investment in small business, local industry and manufacturing.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith is now warned.

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

How dare they interrupt me when I'm on fire about infrastructure! They should be listening. They should be cheering at home because we know, and the people in Central Queensland know, just how important this is. They haven't heard it from the member for Grayndler; he wasn't there. The Prime Minister and I were there. We were talking it up. All we hear from those opposite is negativity. They should be out talking about the local roads and community infrastructure in their own electorates.

In the member for Flynn's electorate, that means there is $29.6 million for the eight local government areas.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Yes we did, member for Grayndler. Every single one of the 537 councils across Australia is benefiting. If you won't take it from me, ask them. They are benefiting. As I said, there is nearly $30 for the eight councils in the member for Flynn's electorate. They will be able to upgrade roads, put a lick of town on the town hall, get on with it and employ people. That's what the member for Flynn knows— (Time expired)