Opinion: Investing in Queensland is one of Turnbull Government’s top priorities

THE week I’m spending here in Queensland is a sign of how important this great state is to my Government, says Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is visiting Queensland this week to spruik his government’s economic policy.

THE week I’m spending here in Queensland is a sign of how important this great state is to my Government.

Queensland is where many elements of our National Economic Plan for jobs and growth come together: trade deals to boost exports; greater infrastructure investment, including in dams; a stronger defence force; and a more productive construction industry.

We are backing the state’s workers and small to medium-sized businesses with lower tax rates to encourage investment, greater productivity, and jobs and wage growth.

For example, our recent income tax cuts will mean that more than 85,000 Queenslanders will escape being pushed into the second highest tax bracket over the next three years.

And from July, more than 535,000 Queensland small businesses will get access to lower tax rates or increased tax concessions under our Enterprise Tax Plan.

Our export trade deals are already helping Queensland businesses access new markets and expand trade – and new trade agreements are in the works.

Under the China-Australia FTA, for example, the tariff on fresh mangoes – a great Queensland product – has already been cut from 15 per cent to 9 per cent.

By 2019 it will be zero.

Under our export deal with Korea, the tariff on macadamia nuts has already been cut from 30 per cent to 12 per cent.

By 2018 it will be zero.

In contrast, the Coalition is determined to confront job-destroying union behaviour. Just last week the House passed our ABCC legislation to restore law and order in the building construction industry.

Nowhere is the case for re-establishing the ABCC stronger than in Queensland, where the construction sector is the largest single direct contributor to gross state product and last year employed around 217,000 workers.

Unfortunately the industry continues to be plagued by lawlessness which has no place in a modern, productive construction industry.

We saw an example in that shocking video from the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games site.

These standover tactics increase the cost of roads, hospitals and schools.

That is why we will continue to make the case for these and other industrial relations reforms in the Senate.

Businesses in Central Queensland will benefit from our $2.25 billion deal with Singapore to expand two of our most important military training facilities in Townsville and Shoalwater Bay.

This investment will create jobs and growth in construction and other industries.

We will also spend $24 million upgrading the Cairns Marine Precinct, in addition to our $420 million investment to develop extra wharf space and other support facilities at HMAS Cairns.

And we will also invest $400 million on the maintenance of the replacement fleet of up to 21 Pacific patrol boats, most of which will be conducted at the Cairns Marine Precinct.

From roads to public transport to regional telecommunications to dams and other forms of water infrastructure, we are committed to economy-growing, job-creating projects that connect communities and improve the lives of the people living in them.

Our Cities and Infrastructure Plan provides record investments on road and rail infrastructure, to create more liveable cities and connect Queensland’s regions to markets.

For example, the Government’s $50 billion infrastructure investment program will make significant road and rail investments in Queensland, including money for the Bruce Highway, Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, the Gateway Upgrade North, and the Gold Coast Light Rail.

The Government wants the water infrastructure of the 21st century to be built.

Earlier this year, from our National Water Infrastructure Development Fund, 14 Queensland projects received almost $20 million of the $60 million available nationally for feasibility studies, and we committed up to $130 million for construction of Rookwood Weir.

Queensland and other states also will have access to a $2 billion concessional loans facility to further assist the construction of water infrastructure projects.

This week I’m particularly looking forward to listening to what Queenslanders have to say.

This is a great state, but I want to hear about ways we can work together to make it even greater.

Malcolm Turnbull is the Prime Minister of Australia