Despite being the “economic engine room” of the nation, Central Queensland’s Federal MPs and Senator Matthew Canavan have accused the Albanese Government of sidelining the region in the 2023/2024 budget.
Senator Canavan said local businesses need to be assured that the Rockhampton Ring Road will continue as originally planned, with the budget including the money for early works and the other funding not committed.
They said the community is crying out for critical infrastructure projects and are sick to death of “Labor continuously overlooking Central Queensland” while billions went towards the Olympic Games in Brisbane.
Capricornia MP Michelle Landry accused Labor of being out of touch with what it takes to build the nation and bring further prosperity.
“Not once did the Treasurer mention the words rail, road, dam, bridge, agriculture or infrastructure in his speech,” Ms Landry said.
They said the resources sector in the Flynn and Capricornia electorates returned $9 billion in royalties to the Queensland Government’s coffers In the 2021-22 financial year.
Flynn MP Colin Boyce said that Labor’s Budget has put a review on the $120 billion infrastructure pipeline, putting all regional programs in doubt.
“Central Queensland is the economic engine room of Australia yet has not been supported in this year’s Budget,” Mr Boyce said.
“It appears that the Federal Labor Government are happy to strip critical funding from regional projects and pump the money into metropolitan areas.
“There has also not been a commitment that vital regional Queensland infrastructure projects will be not impacted by the review. For instance, no commitment of funding for the Rockhampton Ring Road, no commitment to seal more than 450 kilometres of the Queensland beef corridors, no commitment for upgrades of the Inland Freight Route (Charters Towers to Mungindi), no commitment for Gladstone Port Access Road Extension and no commitment for Paradise Dam.
“Enough delays, the Federal Labor Government need to cough up the funding for these critical projects.”