Emma Comer (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This federal government is backing in my community with the federal budget, with over $800 million for the Bruce Highway. Elizabeth in Griffin has told me that these improvements, particularly the on-ramp and off-ramp at Griffin right there at Dohles Rocks Road, are really going to benefit the community. They're going to see their commuter time cut down by 30 minutes or sometimes up to an hour depending on the day or the weekend. It's absolutely fantastic to see this investment, and I really thank the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government for backing in my community and backing in Queensland. It's so important that people can get from A to B safely and that we can actually cut commuter time so people can get more out of their day and more out of their work. I just want to say that I'm so grateful that the Labor government is backing in Petrie. We're making sure that everyone can go about their daily business in a safe way.

Another thing I'm really stoked about is the $60 million investment in the youth housing incentive. Our young people are struggling, and in my community we've got between 600 and 1,000 homeless young people. We have incredible organisations such as Chameleon Housing offering a safe space, a safe home, to young people and giving them the skills that they need to ensure that they can continue to have safe and secure housing. I'm really proud of the Minister for Housing and the Special Envoy for Social Housing for their incredible work in securing this funding. The $60 million is going to make such a difference in helping the young people in our community. Our young people are our future. We need to do what we can to help them get the best out of life, to get the best start in life. If a young person is facing homelessness or is already homeless, things haven't been going too well for them, so it's up to us as the government to really step in and do what we can to help them.

I just want to take this moment to talk about a dreadful incident that happened on Sunday in my community. A mosque in Bald Hills was threatened with violence. The man responsible has now been apprehended by the Queensland Police Service, and I thank them for that. As it's a matter before the courts, I won't touch on it any further except to say this is an example of what is completely unacceptable in our country. My great grandfather died in the Second World War fighting to prevent this kind of religious and ethnic discrimination and vilification in our country. Whether you're Jewish, whether you're Muslim, whether you're Christian, you deserve to practice your religion free from violence and intimidation. It is a pillar of our country that we can have the freedom to be who we are, to believe what you believe. Diversity is so important to the strength of our country, and I condemn any kind of vilification.