Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The failure of the federal Labor government to deliver on their infrastructure commitments in Capricornia has been front and centre over the past couple of weeks. The federal funding for the Rockhampton Ring Road has been scrapped and delayed for the foreseeable future, with cost blowouts given as the reason. The city of Rockhampton has an estimated 2,600 trucks carrying freight that pass through 23 sets of traffic lights daily, yet we are the only city on the eastern coast of Australia without a bypass or a ring-road. Motorists must drive over one of two bridges. The first is the old bridge opened in 1952, and the second is the new bridge built in 1980. Heavy vehicles are restricted to limited hours of access when travelling over the old bridge.

Construction was due to begin in early 2023, following years of planning and anticipation by local stakeholders and government. Business owners within my electorate of Capricornia have invested their hard-earned money into equipment and their time into training staff in preparation for the work to begin. They have received a low and painful blow, following the announcement that the project will be delayed. The excuse for this delay, offered by the Prime Minister and the Treasurer, is the blowout in material and construction costs from $1 billion to $1.7 billion.

Projects have seen their costs blow out before—it's a tale as old as time—but why is Rockhampton being unfairly targeted, and why has the ring-road been the only one delayed? If the project is delayed, prices are only going to go up. The factors negatively affecting the project are not going to magically disappear in three years.

The Queensland Labor government and the federal Labor government are also in league with each other to push the people of Netherdale and Eungella out of their homes. The Pioneer-Burdekin pumped hydro project stands to evict residents from over 70 properties. Do you know how the community found out that their homes were going to be resumed and flooded? It was through media reports and media releases. There was no consultation and no notice given to the hardworking families who call those areas home. This was a disgusting betrayal of trust.

The federal Labor government is aiding this land grab by pledging $32 million to help the Queensland government find alternative water projects. Why on earth would they do that when Urannah dam was ready to go? Urannah dam, a project that I support and fought hard to get $483 million in federal funding for, was axed in October's budget. It was ready to go, after having jumped through regulatory hoops for years.

Actions speak louder than words, and the actions of this federal Labor government have only confirmed the lack of value and importance they place on the regional, rural and remote communities of Australia, which are the backbone of this great nation. The Albanese government has grossly underestimated the force and capacity of the community of Capricornia. We will not take this lying down, and I will fight every day to see the funding for these important projects restored.