Glenn Lazarus (Queensland, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Excuse me for sounding a little sarcastic, but I think there must be an election coming up! Finally, after three years of governing this country, we are seeing some promise and giving people some hope that their future may look a bit bright. It will not surprise you, but I am standing up to support the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Bill 2016. In fact, I will support any bill that supports Queensland and helps to create real, quality jobs for the state of Queensland. My home state of Queensland is on its knees and has been for some time now. Finally we are seeing an announcement from this coalition government that may well give them a lot of hope.

We desperately need infrastructure projects in Queensland. We need water infrastructure to move water across the state to where it is needed. Our farmers have been for a long time and are still on their knees. Rather than selling off our country to the Chinese and other foreign buyers, we urgently need to support our farmers and other agricultural landholders to succeed and to grow their businesses. We are perfectly positioned to be the food bowl of Asia and we need to ensure we support our farmers to achieve this. We should be selling the milk, not the cow.

We need a new sports and entertainment precinct in Townsville. I thought Jonathan Thurston could not have made it any clearer on grand final night last year during his speech that Townsville and the game of rugby league desperately need a new stadium or entertainment precinct in Townsville. We need to upgrade the Townsville-Mount Isa rail link. We need to upgrade the Bruce Highway and other transport corridors across the state. We need new aged-care facilities to ensure our retirees are able to live out their lives in comfort and with decency and respect. We need improved facilities right across rural and regional Queensland, including basic facilities like public pools, transport terminals, libraries, upgrades for schools, hospitals, recreational centres, sporting and grandstand facilities and community centres.

But I do not want to see this bill result in the coalition awarding concessionalised loan funding for projects to all their mates or donors from overseas countries, and I do not want to see this bill resulting in an increase in 457 or other temporary work visas. So, on behalf of the people of Queensland and the rest of the country, we want the government to give the people of Australia an undertaking here today that concessionalised loan funds will only be provided to projects where the successful project owners are Australian owned businesses or are majority Australian owned; that the successful projects will only use Australian goods, equipment and services or no less than 90 per cent Australian content; that 100 per cent of the jobs created by the projects funded will be given to Australian workers here in Australia—and many in my home state of Queensland.

I and the people of Queensland want a guarantee that the funds will not pay for one 457 visa holder or any other temporary overseas worker visa holders. I and the people of Queensland want a guarantee that the government will include a requirement that 5 per cent of all jobs associated with projects funded will be allocated for apprenticeships so we can get our youth back into jobs and work across rural and regional Queensland. Not only will this help with jobs for our youth; but it will also help to grow our trades: our electrical trades, our building trades, our metal work trades and many other trades.

I and the people of Queensland want a guarantee that any products moved around the country associated with projects funded will be moved on Australian ships with Australian crews. I do not want these projects funding overseas ships and overseas crews. I and the people of Queensland want a commitment that funding will be allocated to upgrade port facilities across the state of Queensland and to invest in shipbuilding projects. Our shipping and maritime industry is on its knees, and this will ensure we assist to support and grow this vital industry. I and the people of Queensland also want a commitment that green energy projects will be given funding priority to ensure our country is positioned to urgently transition to green energy. The funding associated with this bill is being provided by Australian taxpayers, and Australian taxpayers—not foreign companies and not other countries—deserve to benefit from their taxes.

We would like a response and a commitment from the government—today—that you will deliver on all of our requests. If the coalition genuinely cares about the people of Australia, it will commit to these things today. These requests support Australian jobs for Australian workers and create real jobs for the real people of Australia now.