George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development: Will the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House how the Morrison-McCormack government's infrastructure plan is creating jobs and driving the economy through the delivery of vital projects in regional Australia, particularly in my seat of Dawson? Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Dawson for his very timely question. Indeed, in Dawson, infrastructure projects are driving jobs. They are driving growth in that fine area of North Queensland represented by that fine Queenslander himself.

I'll talk about the Walkerston Bypass—just getting a bit granular with this: it's 207 jobs. It was included on the Infrastructure Priority List today—a very good document.

Ms Swanson interjecting—

Ms Ryan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Paterson and Lalor are warned!

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And they should be warned—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No—

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and they should be told to go home and read this document—read it tonight, tomorrow night and the next night, because it's a great document. I recommend page 155, where it talks about regional roads—

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's a disgrace, a complete disgrace!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Paterson will leave under standing order 94(a).

The member for Paterson then left the chamber.

The Deputy Prime Minister has the call. He will continue.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recommend that page, on the regional roads network in Queensland, and I know the Mayor of Flinders Shire, from Hughenden, Jane McNamara, came all the way down to hear the launch of this national infrastructure priority list from IA.

The Mackay Ring Road—the member for Dawson had a novel way of making sure that this got funded—stage 1 has 543 jobs. It's all about jobs—1½ million jobs created since we came to government. The Mackay Northern Access Upgrade has 154 jobs, so there are 154 families benefiting from that work, and small businesses feeding into that process, making sure that they benefit—

Mr Morrison interjecting—

And that is a plan, Prime Minister; indeed it is a plan. It's a blueprint for our success. It's unlocking our potential. Whether it's in North Queensland regional areas or urban Australia matters not—everyone is benefiting from the infrastructure rollout. Did I mention: it is $100 billion over the next decade—$100 billion! That's a record! That is a record amount of infrastructure that we are funding, and we can do it because the Treasurer knows how to balance the books.

Those opposite—they don't know how to balance the books. We have to go back to 1989 before we even find when they last produced a surplus.

But we know how to produce surpluses. We know how to balance the books. We know how to roll out infrastructure, and we're doing it, in every way, in every state, in every territory. We're making sure that Australians have the infrastructure that they need, want, expect and deserve. We're investing in the Bruce Highway Upgrade program—already: 51 bridges and 27 new rest stops. That's protecting people on that road—122 kilometres of safer roadsides, building into the small businesses of Dawson and beyond. That's delivery. That's delivery in action. That's what we're doing, because we've got a plan. We've got a blueprint for the future. Get on board!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Deputy Prime Minister's time has concluded. Again I'd just assure the Deputy Prime Minister: his microphone's in good working order—so far!