Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's an understatement to say that, with COVID-19, this year may not have been the year we'd hoped for. But in Wide Bay we've achieved a great deal, and there's a lot to look forward to in the year to come. Firstly, construction is finally underway on the $1 billion Bruce Highway Cooroy to Curra section D project. The construction will create almost 600 jobs and enable faster and safer travel between Cooroy and Maryborough and ease congestion through Gympie. Most importantly, it’s going to save lives. This is a project that the Gympie community and I worked very hard for, and I can't wait to see it completed in 2024.

In Maryborough, construction of the Rheinmetall NIOA Munitions plant has remained on schedule. The main structure is nearly finished, with the final fit-outs to start soon. The coalition government contributed $28.5 million to this $60 project. Dozens of local workers and businesses have contributed to this state-of-the-art production plant, and it's going to create 100 local jobs when it's operational in March 2021. Also in Maryborough, DTM Timbers will officially open its $3.5 million laminated timber value-added production line. A $1.75 million commitment from the Morrison government secured this upgrade and will help boost the hardwood timber industry in Maryborough.

In Gympie, the expansion of Nolan Meats is nearing completion. Nolan Meats is now looking to fill 100 new positions in addition to the 100 jobs that were created during 2019-20. The coalition government contributed $4.98 million to double the capacity of Nolan Meat's production line facility, boosting local jobs and supporting the domestic and export markets for high-quality Australian beef. It's a solid investment that will create long-term jobs for the region—at the plant, for truck drivers, for cattle farmers and everyone in the supply chain. Also in Gympie, this year’s budget included $80,000 of our $100,000 commitment for Sun Coast Macadamias in Gympie towards its $200,000 project to improve operational efficiency, which will help develop the expanding macadamia industry in the Gympie area.

In Noosa, the beautifully upgraded Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club is ready to help the tourism industry and economy bounce back from COVID-19. Its $7.5 million renovation received a $2.5 million contribution from the coalition government under the Building Better Regions Fund. This investment supported jobs for 30 workers during construction and six ongoing jobs. So it is a long-term investment in the economic future of Sunshine Beach. The upgrade was officially opened in February and, with support from the JobKeeper program during the pandemic, the venue and staff are ready and raring to go for 2021.

The Peregian Beach Digital Hub, which is being expanded with the help of a $2.5 million grant from the coalition government, will be a hive of activity and innovation throughout 2021 and beyond, through our funding programs to develop world-class firefighting technology. This includes $100,000 through an Entrepreneur's Program grant to help fund FireTech Connect, a program designed to assist technology start-ups developing solutions to prevent, detect, fight and recover from bushfire emergencies. New innovations will help with bushfire prediction, early detection, firefighting, communication and forensics, and FireTech Connect is bringing together mentors and experts to help fast-track solutions like these into commercial deployment. A further $100,000 grant, through the Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery Grants program, will help the start-ups put their technology on the world stage, with a FireTech International Conference. Also at the Digital Hub, Fireball International will receive $500,000 through the Entrepreneurs Program for an innovative new system that could detect bushfires in as little as three minutes, significantly reducing both the human and financial cost of wildfires.

Noosa-based company Helitak will be able to roll out its state-of-the-art firefighting technology during 2021, with a $497,500 Accelerating Commercialisation grant to help expand its capacity. Helitak is taking strides towards bushfire control by adapting an expandable underbelly water tank on Super Puma helicopters, assisting with aerial water bombing to protect lives and properties during bushfires. With bushfires currently burning on Fraser Island as well as the ones we experienced at Peregian Beach last year and throughout Australia, it is great to see Noosa emerging as a centre of excellence for technologies that help tackle these wildfires. The Pomona Showground will also have a brighter future, with an $85,000 grant to reinvigorate the main arena under the Regional Agricultural Show Development Grants Program, while the Building Better Regions Fund has delivered $20,000 to upgrade the 30-year-old toilets and showers at the Cooroy Badminton Club hall and $60,000 to assist with the program for the NOOSA Alive! 2021 festival.

Disability support organisation Sunshine Butterflies will continue to make a huge difference in the lives of many families next year. It received $20,000 through round 5 of the Stronger Communities Program to provide air conditioning in its activity shed and $20,000 in Communities Environment Program funding to rejuvenate a dam at the Our Backyard facility, improving habitat for 3,000-plus native species in the Cooroibah area.

Still in Noosa, Noosa and District Landcare is using $49,000 from the Smart Farms Small Grants program to reduce sediment volumes in Lake Cootharaba and boost the catchment's soil health and farm productivity with its Keeping It In Kin Kin project. Lake Cootharaba is one of Queensland's most popular natural spots as well as being an important recreational drawcard and water resource. This is a win-win for the environment, farmers and the whole community.

At Murgon there are two significant developments under way. The new RSL drop-in centre is nearly completed and is expected to open early next year. This project was funded through a $450,000 election commitment. It created 40 jobs through construction and will create several ongoing jobs. Most importantly, it's a place where our veterans can get the support they so richly deserve. There's also headway being made with Murgon's new $1.6 million Creative Country Association cultural centre and fossil museum, funded by the coalition government, which will create ongoing tourism and economic benefits for the South Burnett. Next week in Maryborough a new headspace service will open, providing mental health and support services for young people aged between 12 and 25. And on the local roads, work is finally starting on the Tinana overtaking lanes, which was announced back in 2018. This is a $14 million investment by the Commonwealth government.

In wrapping up, before I finish I want to say a very special thank you to my staff for their work through 2020. This has been an extraordinarily difficult year for so many people. We come to this place in parliament and take all the accolades and good wishes, but behind us is a dedicated team of people who really do make us look good and look after our communities.

At the beginning of the pandemic, when there was so much uncertainty in the office, I asked my team if they wanted to close the office or keep it open. They said, 'Llew, if Centrelink is open we need to be open too.' I was really proud of them showing such dedication to their community. To Simon, my chief of staff, to Ray, Barb, Clementine, Dean, and Vicki, thank you so much for all you do for the people of Wide Bay.