Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia) Share this | Hansard source

The CSIRO's work is just one part of our drive to develop the water resources of Australia and particularly of northern Australia. The coalition already has allocated $2.6 billion to invest specifically in water infrastructure. We've made available $580 million from the National Water Infrastructure Development Fund, and there is a $2 billion water infrastructure fund within the Regional Investment Corporation as well. Of those funds, $230 million has already been allocated or has funded projects in northern Australia specifically, including a $176 million commitment to the Rookwood Weir on the Fitzroy River in Central Queensland, which can deliver over 2,000 jobs. That is something we committed to do at the last election, and, finally, we've got the Queensland government—two years or so on from that—committed to that as well. So that will happen. Jobs will be delivered in Central Queensland. That will double agricultural production and will take this nation forward.