Australia Pays the Price for Labor’s City-Centric Infrastructure Agenda
The Albanese Labor Government’s decision to abandon the Gladstone connection to Inland Rail is another example of Canberra turning its back on regional Queensland and denying Australia the opportunity to grow.
At a time when Australia should be building the infrastructure needed to unlock our resource wealth and strengthen our resource capacity, Labor is instead funnelling billions into the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop.
“Australians are once again being asked to pay the price for a city-centric agenda, while families and businesses across regional Queensland continue battling rising cost-of-living pressures, higher freight costs and increasing economic uncertainty,” Senator McDonald said.
The Inland Rail had the potential to better connect emerging oil and gas developments around Taroom, where those resources could support sovereign manufacturing and the production of Australian-made diesel and other refined products.
After returning from Gladstone this week, where once again Canberra’s FIFO Senator attempted to lecture regional Queenslanders about their own industries and communities, Susan McDonald said Gladstone remained one of Australia’s most important industrial and export centres, powering the economy through resources, manufacturing, agriculture and energy production.
“Gladstone supports thousands of jobs across Central Queensland and beyond, and the Inland Rail connection was about securing the future of regional industry and ensuring our ports remain globally competitive,” she said.
“Cutting this project sends exactly the wrong signal to investors, exporters and regional communities.”
“If Albanese is serious about fuel security, growing exports, strengthening supply chains and supporting regional jobs, then he should be investing in nation-building infrastructure — not cutting it,” Senator Susan McDonald said.
Labor cannot claim to support regional development while ripping funding away from critical freight and export infrastructure in resource-producing communities.
Every tonne of coal, gas, beef, grain and critical minerals that leaves Queensland through ports like Gladstone helps drive the national economy. Yet instead of backing the regions that generate Australia’s wealth, Labor is choosing to prioritise inner-city projects in Melbourne.
Regional Queensland deserves better.
Senator McDonald said the Coalition would continue fighting for the Gladstone connection and for infrastructure investment across regional Australia.
“The Coalition understands that strong regional infrastructure means stronger industries, stronger exports and stronger communities,” she said.
“The Gladstone connection should not be abandoned, and we will continue fighting to ensure regional Queensland gets the infrastructure investment it deserves.”
