John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Senator Nash. Can the minister update the Senate on the outcomes of the first round of the coalition government's Building Better Regions Fund infrastructure stream?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for his question and for his longstanding commitment to and very hard work for the people of regional Australia. I was delighted last week to announce the first round of the Building Better Regions projects. We had $219.5 million going out across regional Australia to 110 projects, worth $497 million, in those communities. This is a fund that is targeted to regional communities. We know that, when we invest in those communities, those communities gain confidence, and we know that one of the most important things for our rural, regional and remote communities is that confidence. It leads people to invest in their businesses, in their futures, in their families. And it says from the government that we recognise that those regional communities are worth investing in, because we know they're the backbone of the nation. About 67 per cent of our exports come from regional Australia.

We can look across the country. I was in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland last week talking to local communities about these projects. Right across the board in those communities, there was interest in those projects because they know how valuable they are. We saw $10 million go to Velocity Park in Bathurst. This is going to be an incredible motor racing precinct which is going to light up the whole region. It is absolutely fantastic. I note Senator McGrath is nodding in his very real appreciation of that particular project. And there is $2.4 million in Victoria for the Wangaratta Turf Club stage 2—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Wow!

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Indeed, wow, Senator—'wow' from the Labor Party. This funding will create an equine centre of excellence and provide an economic return of $35.6 million annually to the region. Those are the types of outcomes this fund is getting.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Williams, a supplementary question.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for the good news. Can the minister further outline the Building Better Regions Fund investments the coalition is making and how these have been welcomed by the local communities we have partnered with?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Particularly the pork industry!

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a shame those opposite do not do as much for regional Australia as they do trying to interject about regional Australia.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They wouldn't know where it is.

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're right. They wouldn't know where it is. I'm delighted to advise the Senate that these projects are happening right across the nation. In the Northern Territory, we're going to invest $1.9 million in partnership with the Top End Association for Mental Health, TEAMhealth, to construct a new mental health facility in Darwin. It's interesting, Mr President, that those on the other side purport to be interested in mental health, so I would have thought they would have been most appreciative about funding going to a project to improve mental health in the Northern Territory.

We're also investing $446,000 in partnership with the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association to construct a specialised training centre in Roe Creek. These investments are going to make a real difference in these communities, and we know that the people in these communities need government to work with them in partnership. Government can't solve everything, but we can certainly work in strong partnership with these communities.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Williams, a final supplementary question.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister further update the Senate about additional projects in other states and how these will benefit regional communities?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, these projects are right across the country: $10 million for a project in Palm Island; in Dwellingup, in Canning, an investment of $1.2 million in the national trails centre, which is going to transform that town into a world-class trail hub; and in Durack, as one of the eight projects in Durack, I am delighted to announce $4.8 million for an innovative Indigenous training-to-work initiative.

I was particularly pleased to see that even the Labor MP for Shortland, Pat Conroy, in response to the coalition funding of $2.2 million for a road project in his electorate, said, 'This is a great win for our community.' So we've even got Labor members recognising the importance of coalition funding going into Labor electorates to improve circumstances in those communities. I'm very proud of this fund, Mr President, as I know the whole government is making real change for the future of the regions.