Anne Urquhart (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the Albanese Labor government focused on keeping regional communities connected in the air and on the ground? What approaches to regional Australia has the government rejected.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Braddon for her question. I know she, as the member representing Devonport, Bernie and King Island, was very pleased to meet today, as was I, with the Air T CEO, board and executives, the new owners of Rex airlines, to further reiterate this government's commitment to regional Australia. I, like the Speaker, welcome Air T and Rex to the gallery today. We look forward to working with you to see you deliver the valuable service for our regional communities across this country.

Our government backed Rex. We committed to keeping it flying until we could secure a buyer. And now Rex is moving on to a new chapter of regional aviation. Because of the work of this government, whether you're travelling Moruya to Sydney, Coober Pedy to Adelaide, Monkey Mia to Perth—or, in fact, from the opposition benches maybe to the crossbench—Rex will continue to get you there. Ensuring Rex kept flying is just one of the ways that we have invested in our regions to keep them connected.

Back here on the ground, while the Nationals are busy playing musical chairs, we're building major infrastructure in their electorates, because someone has to actually do the job of delivering for the regions. In the former shadow assistant treasurer's seat of Cowper, we're making strong progress with the Coffs Harbour bypass, a project promised for decades, announced but not delivered, but now being delivered by the federal and state Labor governments.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, I can't hear you from way over there. I really can't.

In the Nationals Chief Whip's seat—congratulations on keeping your role—not only are we making a record investment in improving the Bruce Highway; we're also delivering the Rocky ring road and upgrading key beef roads across her electorate. And, while the shadow assistant minister for communications has been busy setting up SurveyMonkey surveys about the future of the coalition, we're upgrading level crossings; pushing ahead with the Western Highway Upgrade, from Stawell to the South Australian border; upgrading the Horsham junction; and fixing bridges right the way across her electorate.

For those that do remain on those benches opposite—I know the member for Wannon is now the acting shadow minister for northern Australia. To give him an update, we're, of course, sealing further sections of the iconic Tanami, we're working with the Territory government to deliver the new ship lift, and we've committed $440 million to develop new logistics hubs.

We are delivering again, right across our regions. There's a lot of work happening across the country to ensure regional communities can actually get ahead. I know it can be hard for those opposite to keep up when they're stuck in their internal party machinations. It's Labor that is the party of the bush, and we're getting on with delivering for the regions.