Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Hansard source

It's not the Gold Coast, but Julia Creek matters too.

I understand that the water allocation has progressed to the next stage of the water allocation process. I'm told that the proponent has submitted a detailed case to Infrastructure Australia. I understand that the Queensland government is actively considering the project. We will always support better infrastructure when it stacks up.

I remind the member for Kennedy as well that, in the October budget, we committed three-quarters of a billion dollars to water infrastructure in Queensland, including $600 million for Paradise Dam near Bundaberg, over $100 million for the Cairns Water Security project, $11½ million for better water security planning in Queensland, $3½ million for Mount Morgan, another $8 million towards Big Rocks Weir and another $12½ million for groundwater improvement and water efficiency in the Lower Burdekin.

One difference between us and those opposite is, when we promise water infrastructure, we deliver it. We won't promise 100 dams, as those opposite did, and deliver two in nine years.

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