Transcript - Interview on ABC Wide Bay Breakfast with David Dowsett

DAVID DOWSETT: So, what will the development mean for our region? Well, Kristy McBain is Federal Minister for Regional Development. Kristy, good morning.

KRISTY MCBAIN: Good morning. How are you?

DOWSETT: Very good. So, how important is this new addition to the Bundaberg Port?

MCBAIN: It’s a fantastic addition to the Port of Bundaberg. It will allow bulk goods to be unloaded and uploaded here at Bundaberg. It makes it a much more efficient process for business, because we know time is money. It also opens the opportunity for so many other producers to use this conveyor belt and allow the Port of Bundaberg to become the destination of choice for so many producers to use, instead of putting their produce on trucks and perhaps taking it to Gladstone or into Brisbane for exports. It really does open up the economic potential of the region.

DOWSETT: So, something of a game-changer for local producers?

MCBAIN: Absolutely, at the moment we’ve seen silica and sugar that will be exported out of the Port of Bundaberg, but it opens up the opportunity for minerals, for grains, for wood pellets. It really does become a game changer for the entire region, and what we want to see is that export potential of more of our Australian products heading overseas.

DOWSETT: So, will this result in more jobs in the region?

MCBAIN: Absolutely, there were around 355 jobs created at the port during the construction of that conveyor belt. We hope that when more people understand the uses of this and what it could mean for their business, it will create ongoing jobs at the port, and obviously indirectly as well because as more people understand the export capability, they’ll be able to put on more people.

DOWSETT: Some say this should have taken place last year. Why has it taken so long?

MCBAIN: It’s been something that’s been long talked about. The Albanese Labor Government put an additional $7.7 million towards these projects, bringing our investment to $17.7 million, which is really important. We had STL also putting dollars in it, as well as the Gladstone Port. It’s really important that this has been an approach by different parties to get this up and running. Now it’s officially open. We had our first wet run with silica being exported to South Korea only a couple of weeks ago. Everyone has seen it now in action and I’m sure as its understanding grows, people will be using it more and more.

DOWSETT: Member for Hinkler, Keith Pitt played a big part in getting this off the ground. Why wasn’t he invited to the opening?

MCBAIN: This event was an event for funding partners, so we had all the funding partners there at the time. The Albanese Labor Government is obviously the government of the day, and it was part of my role as now decision-maker for the Hinkler Regional Deal and as Minister for Regional Development, to officially open that.

DOWSETT: But isn’t it normal to invite the local Member as well?

MCBAIN: On this occasion it’s important to understand where the funding has come from, and we’re there to do that official opening with the Member for Bundaberg, as well as STL and Gladstone Ports.

DOWSETT: When it comes to development in our region, COVID led to a huge influx of new residents in the Wide Bay–Burnett. Is the Government aware of the huge need for investment and greater development for our region?

MCBAIN: We’ve seen a huge shift in a lot of regional areas across the country where people are seeing the advantage of living regionally. People who live in the regions already, like us, know what a great lifestyle it is, but we are seeing more and more people move to the regions, and particularly Queensland over the last couple of years. You’ll see a number of infrastructure projects happening across the state. We’re really invested in making sure that regional Australians have access to services and infrastructure like anywhere else in the country, which is why some of our big announcements have absolutely focused on our regions. Doubling Roads to Recovery from $500 million to a billion dollars a year means every local council across the country has more money to work on their local roads, which are incredibly important to us all. Tripling the bulk billing incentive so we can get people in to see doctors more easily. A number of our fee-free TAFE places have been taken up in the regions, more than 36 per cent of that over 300,000 so far. We’ve seen 20 additional regional study hubs for tertiary education because we know how important it is to start dealing with that skills crisis that there is across the country. The reconstruction fund that we’ve put in place is a huge emphasis on manufacturing businesses that are in our regions. It’s very important that we are focusing on regional capability and getting more investment into our regions.

DOWSETT: Just finally, I understand there’s a new program for homeowners kicking in next week. What does that involve?

MCBAIN: Really excited to announce that phase four of the popular Household Resilient Program will open for applications on the 15 April, next week. It means that homeowners in Brisbane, Bundaberg and other Queensland communities at risk of tropical cyclones can make their homes more resilient to future severe weather events. Eligible homeowners can receive a grant of up to 80 per cent of the cost to improve their homes, up to a maximum of $15,000. So, we are really keen to get people applying for this program. 

We take disaster mitigation really seriously, which is why we’re excited to join the latest phase of this successful program, partnering with the Queensland Government and providing $20 million in federal assistance through the Disaster Ready Fund.

DOWSETT: And that kicked in from next week?

MCBAIN: That’s right. Applications open next week.

DOWSETT: All right, Kristin McBain, thanks very much for your time this morning.

MCBAIN: Lovely to be with you.

DOWSETT: Thank you. Kristy McBain, Federal Minister for Regional Development on ABC Wide Bay.