Matt Smith (Leichhardt, 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 delivering the infrastructure and transport regional Queensland needs? What approaches 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

Can I thank the member for Leichhardt for the question. It was an absolute pleasure to stand with him, with the member for Braddon and with Minister McBain this morning to announce up to $5 million to support regional and remote airports that supported Rex. Many local councils and their regional airports were left short-changed when Rex went into administration, but they continued to support regional travellers across the country, ensuring that Rex could continue to fly in. That funding will go some way to covering the shortfall for regional airports across country Australia, including in Cairns, and I encourage local councils and members to encourage their local councils to apply for that funding.

As the member for Leichhardt knows well, though, we are not just investing in his electorate's airports; we're also making record investments in Queensland, in particular in Queensland's longest highway, the Bruce Highway. It was just over a year ago now that I joined the Prime Minister in Gympie to announce an additional $7.2 billion into the Bruce Highway to improve the highway north of Gympie, up to Cairns. That takes our government's total investment in the Bruce up to $17 billion. I'm really pleased to be able to see the progress that is happening.

So imagine my surprise, and I can see him interjecting, when I read comments from the member for Dawson, who at the time was an occupant of the opposition benches—he is now over there—that our investment, being jointly delivered with the LNP government and my good friend Brent Mickelberg—we work well together—that this money was 'just a stunt', with him saying: 'Let's be honest—this $7.2 billion was made purely for politics.'

So, seeing as the member for Dawson thinks investing in Queensland is just a stunt, I thought I'd tell you about some of the delivery.

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not what Senate estimates says.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Dawson!

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

What we've finished so far: strengthening the road surface at Toomulla Intersection, Spider Creek Road, Goodbye Creek Road and Hencamp Road; completing road repairs and strengthening between Ingham and Innisfail and between Ayr and Townsville; and widening and delivering safety upgrades for the Bootooloo Road. And now we've started preconstruction and design work to improve safety between Mackay and Proserpine and from Ayr through to Townsville—right across the Dawson electorate. Around Mackay, we've kicked off road-strengthening works at the southern entry, continuing down to Proserpine South. Procurement is underway so we can soon start road-surface strengthening at the northern and southern entrances of Sarina. And we're widening the road surface between Aldridge Road and Poppi Road, including the installation of a new wide centre lane. That's 38 projects already started and underway.

So, while the former coalition is getting their steps up travelling around, plotting between their offices, we're getting on with the job of building the infrastructure that Queensland needs, including a significant investment in the Bruce Highway.