Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his second supplementary question. The final element of the government's action today is to provide, for the first time ever, a dedicated fund for the improvement of local government roads as well as their standard. Today we put in place a betterment fund that will support local councils to improve their local roads and assets to a level above the current standard and to make them more flood-proof and more resilient. Our government has put on the table a contribution of $40 million to the fund, which we expect the state government to match. I have some comments by Premier Campbell Newman on this support, which he says comes with strings attached. That is true, because the state government want to get a slice of the money. I said no. They want to give it to main roads. I want to make sure it is for local councils like Bundaberg, the Lockyer Valley and the North Burnett. (Time expired)