Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to update the parliament on the progress of a number of election commitments and budget measures in my electorate of Blair. During the election campaign, I announced a multimillion dollar package of initiatives for our region, and the Albanese Labor government's first budget is carrying those out. To that end, the federal budget contained tens of million of dollars for infrastructure, flood resilience projects, health and veterans services, and community and sporting facilities. First, there was the support for the high priority transport infrastructure projects for our growing city, including $12.5 million for planning for the next stage of the Ipswich Motorway between Oxley and Darra. Last month, the federal and Queensland governments called for expressions of interest to update the Ipswich Motorway masterplan and develop the business case to upgrade the Oxley interchange, and the plan is expected to be completed by mid-2024.

The budget also secured $3.4 million to complete the detailed business case for the Ipswich to Springfield public transport corridor, which is our region's highest-priority project and is part of the South East Queensland City Deal. Last week I hosted a delegation of Ipswich city councillors and business and community leaders who came to raise awareness among parliamentarians of the urgent need for a rail link between the Ipswich CBD and Springfield—the fastest-growing city in Queensland—to the east. The Queensland and federal governments and Ipswich City Council are all working together, and I expect the business case to be finalised within this term of government, so that we can get the project shovel ready after a decade of delays and delivery failures from those opposite. Planning for the two major road projects in Blair—the Cunningham Highway-Amberley interchange upgrade and the Warrego Highway-Mount Crosby Road interchange upgrade—is well underway and should have been completed by the end of last year. I'm urging Main Roads Queensland to do that. They've told me that the business case for the Mount Crosby interchange upgrade will be finished very shortly and the preferred design option for the Amberley interchange also will be done very shortly.

Just as importantly, the budget includes immediate support for disaster-ready projects, including $4 million to upgrade the Ipswich Showgrounds so they can be used as our premier emergency centre for residents forced from their homes during natural disasters. The Ipswich Show Society and the Ipswich Show are celebrating their 150th birthday this year: an auspicious occasion! I congratulate them for all they do for Ipswich. I particularly acknowledge Darren Zanow, who has done a mighty job. The National Emergency Management Agency is liaising with the show society on these upgrades, and I expect an update to coincide with the show in May.

There's also $3 million for Ipswich City Council projects along the Bremer river and its tributaries under the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program to improve flood recovery resilience, water quality and environmental values for urban waterways. I know that the Ipswich City Council and the department are working to that end, and I commend them for the work that they're doing. Thank you very much to all those organisations who are involved in these projects and their delivery.