Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, he has been to Hughenden twice as Prime Minister. He's very committed to the north-west of Queensland, and you can see that in the fact that Minister McBain, the Prime Minister and I went and spent time with the good people and industries of Cloncurry. Our thoughts, obviously, are with the farmers and miners from that part of Australia in the aftermath of the horrific flooding.

Now the question was about a number of things, but primarily I think it was about water infrastructure. Since May 2022, the Albanese government has invested $1.2 billion in more than 130 projects through the National Water Grid Fund, improving access to water, driving growth and supporting long-term environmental health. And we know, as the member for Kennedy pointed out in his question, 400 clicks up the road from Cloncurry, in a beautiful place called Hughenden, this government has made a $170 million commitment to support the Hughenden irrigation scheme in the member's electorate. He is right to point out that that project is waiting on a Queensland government review, which is currently under way—the Gulf water plan, I think it's called—which will provide the water necessary to support the scheme. It has been a process which has been under way for some time, and we're waiting for that process to conclude—

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