RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS - Queensland Parliament ...

31 Oct 2012 Appropriation (Parliament) Bill; Appropriation Bill 2281
MOTION
Publication of Cabinet Documents
Ms PALASZCZUK (Inala—ALP) (Leader of the Opposition) (5.01 pm), by leave, without notice: I
move—
That the documents tabled by the Leader of the Opposition be published, in accordance with standing order 33(2).
Question put—That the motion be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL
APPROPRIATION BILL
Consideration in Detail (Cognate Debate)
Appropriation Bill
State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee
Report
Appropriation (Parliament) Bill; Appropriation Bill
Resumed from p. 2280.
Mr YOUNG (Keppel—LNP) (5.02 pm): I rise to make a comment on what was my first estimates
committee hearing. I wish to acknowledge the chair, Mr Ted Malone, and my fellow members of the
State Development, Infrastructure and Industry Committee. I also want to acknowledge our staff and
research officers who help us. They are very capable.
It was indeed enlightening to see the ministers and ministerial staff beset by questions. I wish to
thank the Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning; the Minister
for Energy and Water Supply; the Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the
Commonwealth Games; directors-general; chief officers and departmental staff for their cooperation in
providing information to the committee. As a committee member, I was particularly interested to have
the Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning administer the funding in Central
Queensland.
One of the budget highlights is the Royalties for the Regions pilot funding round, which will
distribute $60 million across the Resource Community Building Fund, Roads to Resources and flood
plain security for infrastructure in Queensland’s resource communities. This pilot funding is part of the
program to invest $495 million over the next four years, which will benefit those who live, work and
invest in our resource regions, to improve community infrastructure; enhance safety, connectivity and
capacity of roads servicing resource communities; and provide flood mitigation through levies, flood
bypasses, dams and flood retention basins. Under the Royalties for the Regions Program, 14 councils
are eligible to apply for funding. I have been working with the Rockhampton Regional Council to apply
for the first round of funding. One area of need in Rockhampton is the Gracemere Industrial Area. This
industrial precinct resides on the outskirts of Rockhampton on the western Capricorn Highway. This
industrial area is in desperate need for funding to install roadworks and trunk infrastructure, with the aim
to tap into the mining, manufacturing, component repair facility and mining supply and logistic hub.
Mining and earthmoving companies have indicated a desire to relocate to the Gracemere Industrial
Area once the land development has been completed.
Other highlights in the budget that are of interest to me as they relate to Central Queensland are
the implementation of the Galilee Basin infrastructure framework and assistance for the Surat Basin Rail
project proposal to develop a greenfield 214-kilometre railway to open up the estimated four billion
tonnes in thermal coal reserves from the Surat Basin for export through the Port of Gladstone. This
corridor is known as the missing link from Wandoan to Banana.
I wish to comment on how professional the ministers and ministerial staff were in the public
hearing. They acted with dignity and transparency. The committee made the recommendation that the
proposed expenditure, as detailed in the Appropriation Bill 2012 for the committee’s area of
responsibility, be agreed to by the Legislative Assembly without amendment.
Mr KATTER (Mount Isa—KAP) (5.05 pm): I rise in this House to speak to the estimates
committee report as part of my involvement in the State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
Committee. I pass on my thanks to our chair, the member for Mirani, for providing what I consider to be
a very balanced approach to this process. He did a fine job.