Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the greatest infrastructure projects this nation could undertake to grow its economic base and to assist us in the future in dealing with such things as $1.7 trillion in debt would be the Bradfield Scheme. There are myriad of suggestions about how we'd go about that, but it should be undertaken. Most likely it would be undertaken in the form of a corporate entity, very similar to how the Snowy Mountains Scheme worked, and most likely would be over a number of years—maybe 40 years. Nonetheless, it's a project that should be started.

People of incredible competence, such as Sir Leo Hielscher and Sir Frank Moore have approached it saying that the government needn't put any money towards it, that they have the capacity—because of the current rates of interest and the financing by people who would utilise it—to do it. But the government would have to give the authority and do the constitutionality issues to stand behind it. I want to mention some of the champions of this. Obviously, Sir Leo Hielscher and Sir Frank Moore and Senator Susan McDonald. Senator Susan McDonald is one who walks these people into your office. Senator Susan McDonald is the person who has been following this for such long period of time. Senator Susan McDonald, as a competent chartered accountant and a person who's run a multi-million dollar business, Super Butcher in Brisbane, is a person who would understand business and she should be taken seriously. One of the key things to look at is the Burdekin, which goes down from behind Tully and then heads back to the sea, sweeping up all the water at Ayr. There are other dams and rivers that could be used—the Barron, the Burdekin, Daintree, Herbert, Johnston, Mulgrave, Pioneer, Proserpine and Tully.

But there's one issue that we should address—and we should address immediately. It was brought to my attention at Senate estimates and it's also been brought to the attention of Senator Susan McDonald and others, such as Senator Matt Canavan, some time ago. The North Queensland Water Infrastructure Authority, which has oversight over the construction of such things as Hells Gate, is based in Canberra. They have one part-timer in Townsville. This is not an established department. It should be based in North Queensland. Being based in North Queensland would give it the capacity to keep the politics of North Queensland on side and to be based on the ground where this issue is most pertinent. I believe that this is an issue that can be addressed almost immediately. I might say that, if people in the North Queensland Water Infrastructure Authority don't want to live in North Queensland, they are possibly in the wrong job. We have a great record of decentralisation in the National Party—and it continues to be a policy. This is a part of that policy which should be addressed immediately.