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

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to improve local roads and infrastructure?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

We're not doing this. I need to hear the question. This is continual from across the chamber. I'm reaching my limit.

An opposition member interjecting—

I said 'across the chamber'. I need to hear the question. All members need to be hearing the question. I'm going to ask the member for Paterson, as I did the member for Ryan, to begin her question again.

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

My question is to the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. What is the Albanese Labor government doing to improve local roads and infrastructure in regional communities? How does this compare with other approaches, and why is it so important to support local government?

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the other side to listen up, because you're about to get schooled in how we deal with regional communities! Thank you to the member for Paterson. I really appreciate the question.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Order, members on my right! The minister is just going to cool it for a moment. I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order. The minister is 15 seconds in, but I'll listen to him.

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, well, even 15 seconds in, the minister knows she's not allowed to use the term 'you'. That's very inflammatory! The Prime Minister has just said to dial down the rhetoric, and the minister wasn't listening to the Prime Minister about dialling it down.

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

Well, it's inflammatory because it's directed to me.

The member for Holt is warned! The manager is correct. It's disrespectful to the Speaker. So I'm going to ask the minister to also understand the standing orders and to direct her remarks through the chair.

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Paterson for the question. She knows how important it is to deliver for regional communities and, while we're at it, for future generations. Congratulations on becoming a grandparent for the first time.

Since coming to government, we have committed $4.4 billion over five years to the Roads to Recovery program. That's a $1.8 billion increase on the previous five-year period. It's funding that goes directly to every single council to spend money on the roads they want to, the way their community wants to. Why is that important? Because those opposite froze funding in that space. For Port Stephens Council what that means on the ground is an extra $2.9 million that they are receiving under the Albanese government more than what they would have received under those opposite.

Our Growing Regions program is delivering $600 million to important projects across the country, including $8.5 million for the Eastwood Leisure Complex redevelopment in the member for Ballarat's electorate and $9.5 million for the Roma pool revitalisation in the member for Maranoa's electorate. We have substantially increased road Black Spot funding to $150 million a year. It's going to 102 rural, regional and remote programs across the country. There's $1.2 million for traffic lights in the electorate of Braddon, in Spreyton, and $1 million for safety improvements in Caboolture in the electorate of Longman. We've also launched a new $200 million program called Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure program, and we recently announced tranche 3 of this program. The Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley in Durack will receive nearly $4 million towards the Mulligans Lagoon Road and Weaber Plain Road intersection to accommodate heavy vehicle traffic, and the Mareeba Shire Council in Kennedy will receive $3.1 million to support agricultural productivity. More than $77 million is earmarked for projects in regional Australia in this tranche of funding.

While we're at it, we have restored highway maintenance funding, which was frozen by the previous coalition government. That's right; they froze funding. In contrast, not only did we restore it; we increased it from $350 million to $460 million. Under those opposite roads were going backwards, just like their polling, but I guess that's what happens when you are focused on yourselves rather than on delivering for regional Australia. On this side of the House, there's a growing number of regional members because regional Australians know we get things done.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.