Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since 2016 I have called on state and federal governments of all colours to get on board with Sunshine Coast rail. This is a traditional passenger rail line beginning in Beerwah in the south of my electorate and travelling through Caloundra and Kawana to Maroochydore. It will create nearly 10,000 jobs, bust congestion and connect the hinterland to the coast and regions to the city. Twenty-six weeks ago—exactly half a year ago—the Member for Fairfax and I secured $1.6 billion—billion with a B—from the previous Coalition government to make the Sunshine Coast rail project a reality. It was the biggest single investment by the federal government into any project on the Sunshine Coast. The state LNP are on board. Once upon a time, on the eve of the election, the federal Labor government gave a somewhat tacit commitment to retain our funding. For over two decades all parties have supported this project. In fact the current Queensland Labor Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, listed it as one of her priority projects in her 2010 rail revolution.

Fast forward 12 years—or in Labor terms three election cycles—and amidst all the gerrymandering and union pleasing, Queensland Labor are still to come out in support of the project. Their own state members in Caloundra and Nicklin refused to make the case to their colleagues. We need to get on board. The current federal Treasurer needs to get on board and keep the— (Time expired)