Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In recent months the local economies of Hervey Bay and Bundaberg have taken sustained and consecutive blows with the closure of key businesses. Regional economies are doing it tougher than ever because when businesses and banks reduce their exposure and consolidate their operations, private investment dries up and local jobs disappear.

In Bundaberg alone, hundreds of jobs have disappeared since the beginning of the year with the closure of a Salmat call centre which was subcontracted to Telstra, APN's decision to close its printing works in Bundaberg, the failure of two local builders and the collapse of Barbera Farms, one of Australia's biggest producers of tomatoes and zucchinis and certainly one of Australia's biggest producers of capsicums. The APN and Barbera Farms situations have also impacted on the electorate of my colleague the member for Dawson in the Mackay-Bowen area. If these were not enough, the recent floods added yet another dimension of challenge to our community.

It is time the government recognised that regional areas are doing it really tough. They deserve their fair share of the economic cake as well. Typically, the government blew the opportunity to give back to regional communities in this year's budget. 'Productivity' seems to be the government's catchcry—yet there has been no recognition that Queensland's productivity is driven by its rail and road systems.

The systemic failure of transport was roundly sheeted home to the condition of the Bruce Highway during the recent flood. There were sections of the Bruce Highway closed all the way from the Sunshine Coast to Cairns and at times cities the size of Gympie and Maryborough were closed off. Not one new dollar has been invested in the Bruce Highway. The minister has announced old funding and reinstated funding that was deferred from earlier this year, but has failed to invest any new funding for Queensland's key highway network. For example, it reinstated what is known as the rollercoaster north of Gin Gin and it announced the Isis River bridge, which is under construction as we speak. In fact, the minister has removed funding from the notorious Cooroy to Curra section of the Bruce Highway, where honourable members would be surprised to know that traffic has to travel at 90 kilometres per hour for nearly 38 kilometres.

On page 270 of budget paper 2 there is a report that $325.4 million will be stripped from the Ipswich Motorway and the Cooroy to Curra section of the Bruce Highway, section B, because the 'the funding will not be required'—that is a joke. It is common knowledge that the section B project is running under budget, but if spare money is now available surely the minister should have directed those funds towards starting construction of section A of the upgrade. It is emblematic of a budget which has consistently robbed Peter to pay Paul.

Let me give you yet another example on a smaller scale, but a no less significant one to my electorate. It is Labor's decision to pull $8 million of funding from the Veterans' Affairs portfolio, specifically the Veteran and Community grants program and the Building Excellence in Support and Training program, whilst outlaying $8.2 million to advertise its carbon tax. It is a slap in the face to our veterans to pull funding from vital support programs while shovelling the equivalent amount, if not more, into a self-promoting PR blitz for a tax that nobody wants and that this nation cannot afford.

Of course, the budget contained absolutely no detail on the carbon tax, which leaves Australian families and businesses in the dark over just how much this tax will hurt them. What do we know about this tax other than it will be another crushing burden for Australians who are already struggling with a 51 per cent increase in the cost of electricity, a 14 per cent increase in the cost of groceries and a 20 per cent increase in the costs of health and education? This year's budget was an opportunity to help regional communities, to help families, and to help small and medium businesses. Labor has squandered that chance. It is a disgrace, as is its budget.