Jim Turnour (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. What investment is the government making to fast-track the construction of a central community infrastructure, and are there any obstacles to implementing this nation-building plan?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Leichhardt for his question, and I thank him for the welcome that I had from him in Cairns last week. I was there to announce some $900,000 of support for community infrastructure, including the upgrade of 13 sportsgrounds and pools and 18 community halls across the region. These are some of the things that this government is doing—supporting jobs and the local economy in Cairns—which are opposed by those opposite.

I was also in Townsville last week and there I announced over $1 million to support a pedestrian walkway to the Cowboys home ground at Dairy Farmers Stadium and to support water conservation measures at the council buildings there. This side of the House is supporting jobs and the local economy in Townsville; they are opposed by that side of the House.

This week we have also announced $1.3 million for the Sunshine Coast Regional Council in the electorate of Wide Bay. A quarter of a million dollars of that is for a new walkway and cycleway along the Noosa River. The local economy and jobs in Noosa are supported by this side of the House; they are opposed by that side of the House.

We have announced $2.1 million for Dalby Regional Council. We are funding 28 separate projects, including the upgrading of the main streets in Dalby and Chinchilla in the electorate of Maranoa. It was voted against by that side of the House and once again the local economy and jobs have been supported by this side of the House. This week Toowoomba has got $1.8 million for 21 separate projects in the electorate of Groom. On this side of the House we are supporting jobs and local economies; they are opposed by that side of the House.

We have already supported some 3,600 projects, which are being delivered by local government. Each one of the 565 local authorities throughout Australia is being given funding to support local jobs and to stimulate their local economies. But what is the response to it of members opposite? Perhaps it was best summed up by the member for Warringah, when he showed his renowned people skills yet again this week. He described it as $42 billion being blown in low-quality spending.

What I say to those members opposite is: when you look at the spending in their local communities—including $220,000 for the Warringah Aquatic Centre to be upgraded; including extra funding for the Warringah Library at Warringah Mall; including spending to upgrade the kitchens at Forestville Senior Citizens Centre—go along to those local communities and tell them that you voted against the local jobs being created and against the stimulation of local economies. That is exactly what those opposite have done. They know that local capital works are a very effective way of creating jobs and stimulating local economies.

Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The walkway in Townsville goes to a car park that has been closed.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Herbert will leave the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was in Townsville with the Liberal Mayor of Townsville for the announcement of the project chosen by the Liberal controlled Townsville City Council. The benefit of this program is that we are not deciding what is funded; local communities are—your communities in your electorates—and do not think we will not remind each and every one of you that you opposed this every step of the way, including in Townsville.