Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to speak on three grievances born of neglect, underinvestment and a failure to properly consider the needs of rural and regional Australia. These issues are not theoretical policy discussions; they are real challenges affecting healthcare access, economic opportunity and biosecurity protections for communities that help drive our state and national economy in Central Queensland.

My first grievance relates to the healthcare services in the Gladstone region. Since the closure of the Mater hospital and the downgrading of Gladstone Hospital from a level 4 facility to a level 3 facility, under the former Queensland Labor government, there has been a significant decline in the availability of maternity specialists and other essential medical services. This decision has had a profound impact not only on Gladstone residents but also on surrounding regional communities that rely on the hospital as a critical healthcare hub. For many families, healthcare access now means travelling further, waiting longer and facing greater uncertainty during already stressful circumstances. Regional Australians deserve access to safe, reliable health care close to home, not a gradual erosion of services over time.

Even more concerning was the revelation of a report, hidden by the former Labor state government, which showed that Gladstone Hospital block 1 and 2 buildings were in a dire condition. By 2023, parts of block 2 were quietly decommissioned, without any clear plan to repair or upgrade these facilities. By mid-2024, half of the top floor had been taken out of action due to its deteriorating state, and by July 2025 the entire top floor was vacated to ensure patient and staff safety. This situation did not arise overnight; it is the result of years of underinvestment and deferred maintenance—problems that regional communities too often experience when infrastructure planning fails to keep pace with population and service demand.

I welcome the Queensland government's commitment to expanding Gladstone Hospital while maintaining access to health services during construction. The new facility will deliver 51 additional beds and treatment spaces, including 40 new inpatient beds, six renal dialysis chairs and five high dependency unit beds. This investment represents an important step towards restoring confidence in healthcare delivery for the region and ensuring Gladstone residents receive the level of care that they deserve.

My second grievance concerns infrastructure, specifically the apparent abandonment of the Inland Rail extension to the port of Gladstone. I recently joined with Senator Matt Canavan in calling attention to the federal government's failure to progress this critical project. During Senate estimates, it was revealed that the department of infrastructure spent $4.8 million completing a business case for the Inland Rail extension. That work was finalised in January 2024, yet the project has since stalled, without explanation or progress.

Even more concerning was the revelation that the Labor Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Senator Anthony Chisholm, who publicly promoted the project ahead of the 2022 federal election, had not even read the business case. In 2021, while speaking with locals in Gladstone, Senator Chisholm stated that the existing Inland Rail to Gladstone would bring significant benefits, alleviate freight pressures in southern Queensland and support long-term growth of the Gladstone port and the local economy. These were strong words, but actions must follow commitments. Labor says one thing in regional Australia and another in Canberra. It is deeply disappointing that a project with clear economic potential, strong regional support and complete planning work is allowed to sit idle. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the Inland Rail to the port of Gladstone will transform how goods move across Australia, creating long-term opportunities for regional communities, including those within the Flynn electorate.

CSIRO modelling shows that the Inland Rail could reduce national freight transport costs by close to $213 million annually across approximately 22 million tonnes of freight. These savings would flow directly to Australian businesses and industries, strengthening productivity and regional growth. The benefits extend across more than 12,000 supply chains and 94 communities, including the coal, steel, grain, vehicle, horticulture and livestock industries. An extension to the port of Gladstone would connect Inland Rail from Toowoomba through Miles, Wandoan, Moura and Banana, creating a direct export pathway to domestic and international markets. This is not simply a regional project; it is a nation-building infrastructure project. The federal government should release the business case publicly, particularly if senior ministers have not taken the time to read it themselves. Regional Australians deserve transparency and certainty about projects that shape their economic future.

My third grievance relates to the growing issues of tick outbreaks affecting regions across Queensland. Recent outbreaks, including near my hometown of Taroom, highlight a problem that's been building for years. Producers across the South Burnett and surrounding regions have repeatedly raised concerns with me about the increasing risks posed to the Queensland beef industry. A public meeting held in Taroom on 13 February drew approximately 250 attendees. The Queensland Department of Primary Industries provided useful information regarding tick identification, treatment symptoms, symptoms of tick fever and life cycle management. While this engagement was welcome, a key concern raised by producers remains unresolved: the breakdown of these third-party tick inspection systems.

Under the previous Labor government, the then agricultural minister Mark Furner phased out the government's stock inspectors and clearing dips, replacing them with private third-party inspection models. Since that change, outbreaks have increasingly occurred in areas previously considered 'clean country' across southern and Central Queensland. It is now abundantly clear that the system designed to manage cattle movement between tick infested and tick-free zones is not functioning as intended. The immediate priority in Taroom is to identify the full extent of the outbreak, treat the affected cattle and restore the areas 'clean' status. Currently, four properties are under quarantine, and there is concern that many more may follow. Many landholders operate multiple properties under the same PIC number, increasing the risk of further spread.

One of the most significant issues raised during the community discussions was the sheer scale of the inspections required. Thousands of cattle now require inspections simply to obtain permits to move, yet there are not enough accredited tick inspectors available to meet this demand. Producers are asking reasonable questions: How did this occur? Why has it happened repeatedly? What steps have been taken to prevent future outbreaks? While the departmental staff are working with existing legislative frameworks, the broader responsibility lies with the government's policy settings. The Queensland government must recognise that the current system introduced by the former Queensland state government is not delivering the level of biosecurity protection that is required. This issue must be addressed urgently to protect Queensland's clean areas, safeguard producer confidence and defend one of our state's most important agricultural industries.

I've raised three grievances today. Healthcare access, critical infrastructure and biosecurity management share a common theme: regional communities cannot continue to be an afterthought. Rural and regional Australians contribute enormously to our economy, our exports and our national prosperity. They deserve investment that keeps pace with their contribution, infrastructure that supports growth and systems that work in practice not just on paper. Addressing these issues is not about politics; it's about fairness, opportunity and ensuring that where you live does not determine the quality of service that you receive or the opportunities available to your community. Regional Australia definitely deserves better, and it's time the government deliver it.