One Nation has their eye on important infrastructure projects across the country.
Projects like the Iron Boomerang, connecting the West Australian iron ore fields with the Queensland coalfields so we can make steel in the country, could set our country up for decades.
Transcript
[Woman] Senator Roberts.
[Man] Thank you, Chair, thank you Roberts.
[Malcolm Roberts] My questions are designed to see where the department is up to, if at all, on some major infrastructure projects that have been brought to my attention on recent listening and fact finding tours to Northern Australia. First one is the Iron Boomerang to connect the Pilbara iron ore with Bowen Basin coal to create a new Australian steel capability with more than $50 billion a year.
Thanks Senator. Shona Rosengren, Assistant Secretary in Queensland, Northern Territory and WA. So obviously we’re, we’re aware of the discussions around Project Boomerang. What, there is no current Australian government commitment to the project. However, we have already got commitments of $330 million on the Outback Way. Over $700 million in NAP and beef projects in Northern Australia.
[Malcolm Roberts] Excuse me, the Outback Way being the highway.
Being a highway, yeah.
[Malcolm Roberts] not the railway.
And also $8.4 billion in roads of strategic importance projects across Northern Australia as well.
[Malcolm Roberts] But nothing on the railway line.
[Rosengren] But noting on the railway line.
[Malcolm Roberts] Is it seen, the Iron Boomerang, is it seen as really a very, very important security issue for us because it’ll give us independence and sovereignty over our steel industry and steel imports? And also make Australia a significant global player in steel?
I understand the dynamics of the project, but it’s not one that currently has Australian government commitment to it.
[Malcolm Roberts] Okay. Thank you. Secondly, is the department working on any proposal to extend inland rail north to Gladstone or Townsville?
Not at this stage no, Senator. I think we’ve looked at business cases on that front I think twice in the last–
[Malcolm Roberts] Sorry, what was that?
There’ve been business cases considering a Northern connection to Gladstone, I think twice in the last five years or so. But I’ll confirm with my colleagues through the afternoon.
[Malcolm Roberts] Okay. Thank you. Thirdly, is the department working on any project to connect the Adelaide to Darwin rail line with the Northern Rail System via Longreach or Mount Isa? Again, another national security issue. Enabling competition between ports, and also security if one of the ports goes out, or if the rail line goes out. Because the current rail line is… No?
[Man] No sir.
[Rosengren] I’m not aware of anything.
[Malcolm Roberts] It would mean easily moving troops from Townsville to Darwin. Okay, the fourth question. The Tully Millstream hydro project, power project, to provide 600 megawatts of clean baseload power into the national grid. Anything on that?
Not under the, I’m only responsible for road and rail projects. I’m not aware of the, the water grid.
Is anyone in Infrastructure Australia available to comment on that?
[Rosengren] It would be under the water .
Yeah, Infrastructure Australia is on tomorrow morning. That might be a Water question, or potentially an Industry question.
[Malcolm Roberts] So you probably won’t know this one either. Is the department working on any hydro projects in what is loosely called the Bradfield Catchment from Charters Towers to Cairns?
[Rosengren] I’m not aware in my responsibilities.
Yeah, I think potentially a question for the Water Grid Authority on Friday?
[Malcolm Roberts] Okay, sixth. A space launch facility currently proposed for Abbot Point in North Queensland?
[Rosengren] Again, beyond my responsibility centres.
[Malcolm Roberts] So your departments are, your agency’s responsible for expenditure on projects more than $1 billion?
No, road and rail.
[Malcolm Roberts] Just road and rail.
So land transport.
[Man] Mostly deal with land transport.
[Malcolm Roberts] Mostly, what else?
Well, it’s land transport. We’ve got regional projects. We’ve got city deals.
[Malcolm Roberts] Regional projects, that’s brings up the seventh one which is the copper string to high voltage power transmission line, to bring Mount Isa into the national electricity grid.
I think the electricity projects are probably a matter for Department of Industry. So, DISER.
[Malcolm Roberts] Okay, thanks Chair.
