Budget 2023-24: Mackay Isaac Whitsundays leaders reveal their spending wishlist

Everyone’s hoping to be better off come budget delivery day but what are the priority projects and investments for Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday politicians? READ THEIR WISHLISTS.

Federal treasurer Jim Chalmers delivers his second budget on May 9 and the funding allocations he makes will determine the future of our region on everything from infrastructure to social programs.

For Nationals MP Andrew Willcox, more money for the Bruce Highway and water infrastructure are core priorities.

“Rural and regional Australians just can’t keep taking the hits,” he said.

“We are tired of being treated like the poor cousins of the cities.

“We need Prime Minister (Anthony) Albanese and his Labor government to take us seriously and show that they listen to our needs by including us in their May 2023-2024 budget.”

Across all levels of government – council, state and federal – different representatives promote different priorities.

For One Nation Mirani MP Stephen Andrew, a federally funded body to assess the accuracy of scientific claims is a key issue.

“The federal government should start funding an independent scientific review board,” he said.

“All of this so-called science to do with climate and all this other stuff … there seems to be a lot of peer-review, but there is not an independent checker to tell whether these sciences are actually on the money.”

To get a sense of what is most important to move our region forward, we reached out to our leaders for their “budget wishlists”.

Here is what they are hoping for:

Dawson MP Andrew Willcox

Dawson MP Andrew Willcox. Picture: Contributed

“I would like to see the Albanese Government take the regions seriously and show some empathy in their upcoming budget by including the following:

• $275 electricity reduction to all Australian households as promised.
• Restore the Agricultural Visa.
• Restore blackspot road funding
• Increase funding for the Bruce Highway.
• More childcare positions for regional areas
• $5 million for Veteran Wellness Centre and Mackay RSL 
• Restore Mobile phone blackspot funding
• More funding to the State Government to combat youth crime
• More funding for mental health services.
• Upgrade the Volunteer Marine Rescue Whitsunday headquarters
• More funding to the State Government for regional health
• Remove red tape and unrealistic impediments for Aged Care services.
• Funding and a plan to address regional Australia’s workforce shortages
• Funding restored to Tourism Australia
• An urgent plan for the housing crisis – not one that will take 10 years to make a difference
• A priority on water infrastructure projects

Capricornia MP Michelle Landry

Some of Ms Landry’s priorities centre around her hometown of Rockhampton, but her vast electorate also takes in the coal-rich Bowen Basin, the Sarina and Walkerston sugar growing districts and the Pioneer Valley west of Mackay.

• Phillips Creek Bridge (along Saraji Rd between Dysart and Moranbah)

“I am very pleased I was able to secure over $14m for the replacement of Phillips Creek Bridge in 2022,” she said.

“A replacement bridge will support year-round access and improvements to safety will ensure this region continues to grow and prosper.”

• The Bruce Highway between Rockhampton and Mackay

“I regularly travel this stretch of the Bruce Highway as I visit communities in my electorate,” she said.

“Every time I see travellers testing their luck when passing in dangerous areas due to not enough suitable passing lanes.

“Not only are there not enough overtaking lanes, but the road condition is deplorable.

“Yet Labor ripped $1.2bn from the budget last year for the Bruce Highway.

“Lives will continue to be lost on this stretch of highway unless this funding is reinstated.”

• Regional grants

“Capricornia delivers $9bn in royalties back to Queensland’s economy from the resources sector,” she said.

“It is only right that the hard work of Capricornians is rewarded with upgraded and new sporting precincts, infrastructure and funding for community groups.”

• Cost-of-living

“Families are being hit harder than ever with the cost-of-living crisis,” she said.

“The pain of rising interest rates, food, fuel and power costs are bringing families and small businesses to their knees.

“Next week’s budget must see fiscal restraint to ease the pressure on families, more simple and lower taxes that grow the economy, measured relief for families and small businesses that do not add to the current inflation issues and most importantly, no more broken promises.”

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert

Mackay MP Julieanne Gilbert. Picture: Duncan Evans

• Roads

“Continued roll out of funds for the upgrade of the Bruce Highway,” Mrs Gilbert said.

“Particularly funds to begin the design for the flood mitigation of the Bruce.

“More locally, the commitment of funds for the Port Access Road, so the planning and design can continue for that.”

• Medicine and health

“I’d like to see support for our local GPs so they can commit to bulk billing, so we can support families who are in financial stress.”

“We do have a shortage of GPs across rural and regional Queensland, so I would like to see more placement of students across all medical aspects.

“Also more placements at universities to train doctors to stay in our regions when they graduate.”

• Housing

“Any improvement to rental subsidies to families at risk would be most welcome.

“It would be wonderful to see investment in another rental scheme, similar to the NRES scheme.”

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew

Mirani MP Stephen Andrew. Picture: Heidi Petith

• More social housing investment
• A review into the NDIS

“They need to go right in and have a look at that,” he said.

“I think it is leading to people being put on disabled pensions, young people that start out with the NDIS, it’s like a lead in to long-term welfare.”

• The Mt Morgan pipeline

“That is one thing they can help out with.”

• Brewers Park in Sarina

“They (residents) want to see some stuff there for the kids and the satellite communities around Sarina.”

• An independent panel to monitor the scientific community

“The federal government should start funding an independent scientific review board,” he said.

“All of this so-called science to do with climate and all this other stuff … there seems to be a lot of peer-review, but there is not an independent checker to tell whether these sciences are actually on the money.”

Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm

Whitsunday MP Amanda Camm. Picture: Duncan Evans

“I’ll be looking for announcements in the upcoming federal budget that will demonstrate to the people of our region that regional Australians matter to this Labor Government,” she said.

“The regions are the engine room of this country and there needs to be significant investment from all levels of government to ensure that we continue to have a standard of liveability that keeps people in our regions.”

• Social housing

“People are hurting right now and there needs to be significant investment in social housing and community development organisation,” she said.

• Infrastructure spending

“Unfortunately for Queenslanders most federal funding needs to be matched by the state government or the infrastructure project is to be managed by the state government,” Ms Camm said.

“This means that even with federal funding commitments significant projects can sit idle for many years, as we have seen in our region with delays to the duplication of Mackay Bucasia Road, upgrades to Hamilton and Goorganga Plains and now with Mackay Ring Road Stage 2 and 3.”

Burdekin MP Dale Last

Burdekin MP Dale Last attends the 2022 QME exhibition in Mackay on July 20. Picture: Duncan Evans

“Despite major industries that operate in the Isaac region having kept our state and federal economies turning in recent years we’re yet to see our fair share of the funding pie from either the Federal or State Labor governments,” Mr Last said.

• Road projects

“We have multiple roads in the Isaac Region like Kilcummin- Diamond Downs, May Downs, Clermont Alpha Road and Bowen Developmental Road which are essentially dirt tracks, yet are servicing major industries as well as being relied on by residents,” he said.

“We’re asking for roads that don’t resemble goat tracks, where ambulances can actually make it safely to an emergency and our school buses can actually operate.”

• Greater health and education funding

“We deserve to see a real solution to the current shortage of services that will attract a permanent doctor to Clermont Hospital for the first time in a number of years and teachers to our schools, to ensure our children aren’t missing out on vital educational programs simply because of their postcode,” he said.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson

Mayor of Mackay Region Greg Williamson at the 2023 Australia Day Awards at the Mackay Entertainment and Convention Centre (MECC) Wednesday January 25 2023. Picture: Michaela Harlow

• Road infrastructure

“More than anything, I wish to see a huge investment in road infrastructure in our region, that’s the Mackay, Isaac, Whitsunday region,” he said.

“As we saw with the last round of flooding in January, where we had not only the road fall to bits but closed between Mackay and Bowen and particularly between Mackay and Proserpine, you know in the 21st century, in modern Australia in a region that delivers such a return to the national economy this should not happen.

“The road and trunk road infrastructure has got to be improved in our area.”

• Increase Federal Assistance Grants

“We would like to see the federal government return to its original stance in the 1970s under Whitlam of 1 per cent of the taxation revenue of Australia being returned to local governments around Australia,” he said.

“We would see that as a very fair and equitable distribution of wealth.

“In terms of taxation revenue in Australia, local government, which has over 30 per cent of the infrastructure requirements, we collect 3 per cent of the taxes.”

Whitsunday Mayor Julie Hall

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall. Picture: Facebook

• The road network

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Julie Hall said more funds to upgrade and maintain the huge road network and initiatives to ease the housing crisis and cost-of-living pressures were at the top of her federal budget wish list.

“Council looks after more than 1780km of sealed and unsealed local and rural roads which are regularly decimated during the normal wet season,” Ms Hall said.

“My Council is committed to providing a road network that is safe and usable for our residents and we rely heavily on federal and state funding assistance.”

• Housing and cost-of-living

“Realistically I am expecting this budget to be tight and likely walk a fine line between providing initiatives for people to get them through a tough time while also not adding to our inflation woes,” she said.

“Housing is in crisis and people are struggling with the high cost of living so any rebates like energy price relief would be invaluable to ease some of the financial burden on families.

“There are a lot of pressures on the federal government but they must find ways to make life a bit easier for people.

“The Whitsunday region is a major catalyst for the Australian economy with our three pillars of mining, agriculture and tourism.

“That is why it is important that we get our fair share of funding to support those who are struggling to meet the rising costs of living in our community.”

Isaac Mayor Anne Baker

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker.

• Isaac Resources Excellence Hub
• Clermont Seniors Living Project
• Isaac Affordability Housing Scheme
• Moranbah Waste Management Facility