Warren Entsch (Leichhardt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on action the government is taking to ensure regional Australia has a strong economic future? Why is unreliable and expensive energy a threat to the prosperity of our regional communities?

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Leichhardt for his question. I congratulate him because he is always on the side of his community; he is always standing up for his community. He is getting on with the job of delivering the infrastructure that his kids and grandkids in his community will thank him for in the future. He is delivering projects like the $10 million for the Cairns Performing Arts Centre. He is delivering mobile phone blackspot improvements in areas like Cape Tribulation. We have an investment program right across Australia: the $75 billion the Turnbull-Joyce government is delivering right across Australia. The Cape York Region Package is delivering jobs for Indigenous communities. There is the Northern Australia Roads Program with road upgrades, benefiting towns from Townsville to Torrens Creek to Mount Garnet—right through the member for Leichhardt's electorate. We are also seeing projects like beef roads, which is actually connecting regional communities to their markets. The Bruce Highway project will save lives and deliver much-needed improvements right along the length of the Bruce Highway. It is all about good infrastructure creating jobs and creating new opportunities, and connecting regional Australians in their communities and to world markets. We are committed to delivering a stronger, safer and better regional Australia where everyone can get ahead.

I was asked at the outset about what threats there might be. At the outset, I said the member for Leichhardt is always on the side of his electorate. In politics you often have to pick a side. On this side of the House, we are on the side of the blue-collar workers. We are on the side of regional families. We are on the side of small business. The threats to jobs and the threats to energy security in regional Australia all come from the other side of the House; they all come from Labor. Regional communities rely on affordable, reliable energy. Our households and our businesses rely on that.

I would ask those opposite and I would ask the member for Grayndler in particular: why is the opposition caving in to the Greens when it comes to energy policy? The member for Grayndler has been interjecting all through my answer, but he knows that Labor has lost its way. That is why he is running for the leadership himself. He knows that the current leader will say anything and he will do anything. He will discard previous loyalties just to keep his job. The Leader of the Opposition actually changed his footy team. Under this headline, 'Leader of the Opposition the shape-shifter', it says:

"You know, he changed footy teams quite late …"

…   …   …

"He changed from South Melbourne to Collingwood late," says a Labor Right mate over his coffee cup, "I don't know why."

…   …   …

"I do remember on numerous occasions saying, 'Mate, if you want to become Prime Minister of this country you can't stay with the Sydney Swans.'"

Member for Wannon, I am not sure you ever changed footy teams; you have been a Tigers man for life. Member for Riverina, you have been a Hawthorn man for life. The member for Kooyong has been a Carlton man for life. You have to pick a side and you have to stick with it. On this side, the Turnbull-Joyce government have picked a side. We are backing the blue-collar workers. We are backing reliable, affordable energy and not the extreme green ideologies, which have captured the other side of the chamber.