Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today in support of the motion moved by the member for Fadden. The reality for families and small businesses across Capricornia is clear: this government has not delivered on what it promised. Before the election, Australians were told that life would be easier, with lower power bills, relief from rising costs and a plan to make housing more affordable. But, when I speak to people across Rockhampton, Yeppoon, Emu Park, Moranbah, Clermont and our rural communities, they tell me the opposite is true. They tell me they are falling behind.

In Rockhampton, families are telling me that their grocery bills have surged week after week. Fresh food, meat and basics that used to be manageable are now stretching household budgets to the limit. At the same time, fuel costs are biting hard. In Yeppoon and Emu Park, I've spoken with retirees on fixed incomes who simply cannot absorb rising electricity costs. These are people who have worked hard their whole lives, and now they're being forced to cut back on food, air conditioning and everyday essentials just to keep up with the bills that they were promised would go down. We were told power prices would fall by $275, but across Central Queensland people aren't seeing that. Instead, they are bracing for higher costs, despite living in one of the most energy-producing regions in the country. This is simply not good enough.

Small businesses are under enormous pressure as well. A cafe owner in Rockhampton recently told me that their electricity bill has jumped significantly over the past year, while the cost of ingredients from milk to flour has also risen. They are doing everything they can to keep prices reasonable for their customers, but margins are being squeezed. In Moranbah and across our mining communities, tradies are telling me that the costs of materials and transport have gone through the roof. Projects are becoming harder to deliver, and small operators are finding it tougher to stay competitive. Tourism operators on the Capricorn Coast are also feeling the pinch. Higher operating costs and reduced discretionary spending means fewer bookings and tighter margins in a region that should be thriving.

Then there is housing, which is one of the biggest challenges facing Capricornia. In Rockhampton, rents have risen sharply, and vacancy rates remain incredibly tight. I've had young families come into my office saying that they've applied for multiple rental properties and missed out every time. In places like Yeppoon, essential workers—nurses, hospitality staff, teachers—are struggling to secure accommodation close to where they work. This has real consequences not just for those individuals but for the services our community relies on. For those trying to buy their first home, the dream is slipping further away. Rising interest rates, higher construction costs and limited supply are making it harder than ever for young people in Central Queensland to get a foot on the property ladder.

We cannot forget our primary producers and regional families. Out west, I've spoken with farming families who are battling rising costs for fuel, fertiliser and freight. These are families who want to pass their farms on to the next generation, but they're worried about how they'll manage under increasing financial pressure. They don't want handouts; they want a fair go. But right now they feel that a fair go is getting harder to find.

This is what broken promises look like on the ground. It's not abstract; it's real. It's the pensioner in Emu Park turning off appliances to save power. It's a single mum in Rockhampton working extra hours but still struggling to make ends meet. It's the apprentice in Sarina putting their plans on hold because they can't afford the rent. It's farming families across Capricornia unsure about the future of their livelihood. These are the voices this government needs to hear because Australians were promised relief and they are not getting it.

The government cannot continue to shift blame or point to external factors. The expectations were set clearly and they have not been met. People in Capricornia know that, and they are feeling it every single day. What our region needs is practical, targeted relief. We need policies that genuinely lower energy costs, not increase them. We need investment that boosts housing supply in regional areas like ours. We need cost-of-living measures that actually make a difference at the kitchen table. Most importantly, we need a government that understands regional Australia not just in words but in action. In Capricornia we are proud, we are resilient and we work hard, but we should not have to work harder just to stand still. Families and businesses across Central Queensland cannot afford more broken promises. They deserve better and they deserve it now.

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