House debates Questions without Notice
Rockhampton Ring Road
Michelle Landry Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing
3:24 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. The federal government is intending to delay $800 million of Commonwealth funding to construct the Rockhampton Ring Road by at least two years. In 2019, as shadow infrastructure minister, the Prime Minister issued a media release titled 'Rockhampton Ring Road a certainty under Labor'. Why is the Prime Minister breaking his personal guarantee to the people of Rockhampton?
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
3:25 pm
I thank the member for her question. The member would know that, as infrastructure minister, there was substantial investment that went into Rockhampton roads, particularly Yeppen Floodplain, which we funded, did the planning for—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
'Yeppen Floodplain'; Yeppoon's a different place. And you might want to ask the member for Capricornia, because Yeppoon is on the coast, north of Rockhampton, and Yeppen Floodplain is to the south; it's the southern entry of the Bruce Highway into Rockhampton.
Queenslander! Queenslander!
Government members interjecting—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
It says it all, because I know about Queensland roads, because, for the Bruce Highway, under John Howard's government, they put $1.3 billion in; we put $6.7 billion in, in half the time, including for the Yeppen Floodplain; including planning money for the Rockhampton Ring Road that began when Kirsten Livermore was the member for Capricornia, who campaigned for it. But, when government changed in 2013, it went on the back burner. So you were in government for almost a decade—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
and you haven't dug a hole on the project. The environmental approvals aren't finished. The project was underfunded, so that, when we looked at the detail of the project, it didn't have enough money allocated to it under you. But we will get this project done, like we got the Yeppen Floodplain done, and like we got, by the way, roads to Yeppoon done as well—
Milton Dick Speaker
Order. The member for Barker will leave the chamber under 94(a).
The member for Barker then left the chamber.
Honourable members interjecting—
Order! Order! The House will come to order.
Government members interjecting—
The House will come to order. Ministers on my right will cease interjecting!