Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today in this place to say: 'What about Ipswich? What about Ipswich's infrastructure concerns? What about the roads and bridges and rail that the good people in the greater Ipswich region need and require?'

I was absolutely mortified to read the scathing ANAO report with respect to the Albanese government contributing $2.2 billion to a Melbourne railway loop that is going to have a cost of somewhere north of $200 billion. It is absolutely extraordinary. I had my office in the greater Ipswich region—a wonderful region in my home state of Queensland—which desperately needs that infrastructure. It's one of the fastest-growing areas of Australia, and it's expected to carry the load in terms of population growth.

In the greater Ipswich region, we need to fix the debacle that is the Amberley interchange. It is an absolute deathtrap. We could fix that for the $2.2 billion. We could also assist in giving Ipswich a second river crossing, which it desperately needs because of the increase in population and the health and safety concerns that arise during floods. We've had a lot of tragic floods in Queensland over the last 20 years, so Ipswich needs a second bridge crossing. We also need to fix the Mount Crosby Road interchange. We could do all of that with that $2.2 billion. At the same time, we could also progress the public transport corridor between Ipswich and Springfield, which, again, is desperately needed.

I say to the Albanese Labor government: 'What about Ipswich? Where's Ipswich's fair share of infrastructure? Where's Ipswich's fair share of the rail, roads and bridges that they deserve as a community? Where's Ipswich's fair go?'