Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Reef HQ is the largest living coral reef aquarium in the world—110,000 people visit each year, and it is projected to inject $444 million into our local economy. The previous coalition government delivered $80 million for a refurbishment. The new Labor government decided to rescope, change the plan, knock down and rebuild. That costs more money and takes more time. Not a dollar was invested then, and not a dollar was invested in this budget. What an absolute disgrace. If you want to rescope the project, you fund it in full. We're not talking about a small fish tank; we're talking about the world's largest living coral reef aquarium. Tens of thousands of locals visit. People from around the state, the country and the world come to hear about the great work that our marine biologists and our scientists are doing on the Great Barrier Reef and also to hear the experiences of what's happening in Reef HQ. I support this project. I will work with the community to make sure that it gets funding that it deserves. But, if you're going to rescope and change the plan, then you fund the project. There's a big cloud over Reef HQ at the moment: Will it be funded? When will it happen? Or is this a way by which this Labor government is cutting Reef HQ? I support Reef HQ. It's great for our economy, and it's great for the city of Townsville.