STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Mr NEUMANN (Blair) (16:44): Last week's Queensland budget was another missed opportunity for Ipswich and the Somerset region. The Crisafulli government has short-changed our community, with critical infrastructure projects cut or kicked further down the road. In an appalling act, the Crisafulli government cut money from the Mount Crosby interchange, with $170 million for the project pushed beyond the forward estimates, past 2029-30.

They need to explain what's happened to the money and when they plan to do on this upgrade which is much needed for the whole region. In 2024, the Albanese government and the former state Labor government secured $277 million—$138.5 million each—for the project. So the money is there.

In addition, the state budget failed to match the Albanese government's $200 million commitment to the much-needed Amberley interchange in a bitter blow for local communities and the personnel at the RAAF Base Amberley who use the interchange. On top of this, there's no new funding or updated funding for the Ipswich Springfield rail business case, the Centenary highway upgrades or the Ipswich Motorway's Darra-to-Oxley upgrades.

It looks like these upgrades that are much needed in our region have been sacrificed for projects elsewhere. It's a demonstration, once again, of the Liberal and National parties' disregard for the people of Ipswich and surrounds. The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Ms Swanson ): In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.