Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week I spent a number of days visiting the regional and rural towns of Clarke Creek, Moranbah, Lotus Creek, Nebo and Clermont. There was the same message from each visit I made to the small businesses, locals and community groups in these towns: regional and rural Australia is being forgotten. These towns are where the wealth of the nation is created through mining and agriculture production. However, there's only a minimal proportion returned to these communities who are building this great nation. Seven billion dollars is being splashed around for the Brisbane Olympic Games, and there is $1 billion to upgrade the M1 on the Gold Coast, yet in the town of Clermont locals are waiting for a month or more to access the only GP, who is stretched to her limit caring for a population of 3,000. Families are driving on some of the most dangerous and atrocious roads in Queensland. For many, taking their children to school, sports events and doctor appointments in other towns can take three hours or more on a round trip on unsafe rural roads. Queensland's state Labor government are not doing a lot to help with this.

There was $94.6 billion put back into the Queensland economy in the 2021-22 financial year from the mining industry, much of which is in my electorate. These funds are being used to deliver enormous infrastructure projects in capital cities while families out west don't have access to the basics of decent roads and quality health care. I call on the Labor governments to deliver back to these communities who provide Australia with the prosperity we all should enjoy.