Press Conference - Townsville, QLD
23 March 2022
MR PHILLIP THOMPSON MP, FEDERAL MEMBER FOR HERBERT: Well, thank you, everyone, for coming today, it is a really important special announcement for the Townsville region. I'd like to welcome back to Townsville, the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison. The Prime Minister has a lot of frequent flyer points coming into North Queensland, coming in doing some really good announcements, but also taking time and speaking with members of the community, which we spent some time yesterday afternoon doing really good feedback and speaking about some really good projects in our region. And of course, the Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce. I spent yesterday afternoon with Barnaby walking around talking to people and having a chat with what's important to locals here in Townsville. And he was telling me that what's what's important here is just as important out in the regions. It's about ensuring that we create jobs and drive our economy. And also, we've got, Bryce, who is our LNP candidate just north of me, in Kennedy, joining us for this really important announcement. We are here at the Port, what is a significant place for Townsville and Renee, the CEO, has been very kind to show us all around today. And of course, Claudia, who is the CEO of Townsville Enterprise who completed the business case, completing the business case for Hells Gates Dam.
This $5.4 billion investment does a few things. It creates jobs and drives our economy, but it benefits our region. We're not just talking about a dam full of water. We're talking about the agricultural benefits that will support northern Australia and also go out through our port, because our port is the fastest port to the South East Asian market. Now, this was my first announcement when I came back when I was a candidate with the Prime Minister about a port-widening project, a $75 million investment that we committed. Now that is coming to completion and the really good thing about the port widening project is it means the ships don't go past us. They come here. They're getting bigger and we want more ships coming into Townsville and more ships coming out. So the agricultural benefits around the country and around the world will come out through our port and that will benefit us through the Hells Gates Dam project. 7,000 jobs. That is massive. That is so good for our region and every person that I've spoken to this morning and late last night about this project is extremely pleased and extremely happy. And my phone's been going off all morning. People going, this is a fantastic announcement. This is a nation building announcement and this announcement is happening here in Townsville. It's going to benefit our region tenfold. I just want to thank the Prime Minister, thank the Treasurer, thank Barnaby for being here today and I thank him for his efforts in ensuring that we can announce this and this will be in the budget, this isn’t pie in the sky, is about us delivering for North Queensland, northern Australia and especially Townsville. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much, Phil. Well, it's great to be here with you, Phil. It's great to be here with the team, particularly great to be here with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, this is a big day for North Queensland, but it's an even bigger day for Australia as we commit to funding 100 per cent of the funding of one of the biggest dams we've ever built. When I stood here just over three years ago before Phil was elected as the Member for Herbert, I said we were going to invest in Townsville and in North Queensland's future. I said we were going to dreg out here, and I said we were going to invest in the port. And that follows when I came as Treasurer and I said, we're going to build that stadium and there it is. So when we make these commitments, they come true. And you can see that here and you can see that the greater number of ships that are coming through this port. You can see the prosperity returning to North Queensland, particularly here to the great city of Townsville. Because I know as Barnaby constantly reminds me, you know, Australia is more than the eight capital cities of this country. And it's great wealth, and it's great opportunities extend far beyond the capital cities of our country, and they extend in to the important regions right across Australia. And North Queensland is an incredibly exciting region where it's where we're standing right now in this industrial hub and and tourist mecca, or as you get out across the ranges and head out towards the Minerals Province, to the West, out to Mount Isa and the projects that are working to unlock that area.
But right here, the the Hells Gates Dam, $5.4 billion investment to build a dam that has a carrying capacity four times as big as Sydney Harbour. They're the sort of projects that shift the dial, that move the needle when it comes to the wealth and the jobs and the strengthening of the economy that our country needs. Because in these uncertain times, what you need is an economy that is resilient, that is strong and is being built to last for the future. And as Barnaby reminded me today, no one's ever wanted to tear down a dam because they know how important those dams are to their economic success. So why are we standing here in a port announcing the building of a dam? Well, I'll tell you why, because the agriculture that is going to be produced and the 10,000 jobs that are in the benefits of this dam being built. That produce is going to come to this port, and it's going to go out on ships and in seven days it'll be in Singapore. That is what these dams do. They unlock the opportunity and wealth of this region that is there ready to be tapped. And that's going to generate the incomes and that's what supports things like the pension, supports the National Disability Insurance Scheme. It supports the expansion of our Defence Forces. 18,500 additional people will be in our Defence Forces. We're expanding them. That's what pays for putting the Apaches in. That's what pays for building the nuclear powered submarines in the Land 400 programme and all of these important defence projects, which ensure that we can keep Australia safe.
So the Hells Gates Dam is a big rock in the jar. It's actually is the big piece of infrastructure that enables Australia to grow and realise its potential and become more resilient because the resilience of our economy, which is what will enable us to continue to be successful. You know, we've come through this pandemic with an economy stronger than all the G7 advanced economies across the world, stronger than the United States and stronger than Italy and Canada, and stronger than Japan and France. Our economy has come out of this pandemic and is and is launching into this next period of opportunity. But you can't take it for granted. It just won't happen on its own. It needs a government that understands the importance of these projects. We knew at the last election, the Labor Party opposed one of the big mines right here in North Queensland. They were against it. How do you actually think the Greens are going to be in favour of building this dam? The Greens will be in there whispering in the ear of the Labor Party about what they want if they are elected at the next election.
So to get this dam, to get these jobs, to get this economic infrastructure, there's only one way you achieve that and securing that, and that is to support the LNP here in Queensland, in all the seats right across the state. We've got the track record. We started this in 2018. You couldn't have got to where we are today to make this commitment unless we've done the homework, the feasibility studies, all of the economic analysis and the detailed business cases has brought us to this stage. $5.4 billion, an investment in Australia's future and an investment in North Queensland’s future. And if you really want to understand the comparison about where we invest as a government, we want to put $5.4 billion into building this dam. All the state government has to do is get out the big stamp and go approved. That's all they have to do. They don't have to drop any coin to do this because we knew they probably wouldn't anyway. And so we're saying to them, 100 per cent, we'll fund it. You approve it. Let's get on with it. My opponents, the Labor Party, wanted to spend $6 billion on paying people to have vaccines they already had. That gives you a really clear contrast between the way we manage money and the way Labor puts money up against the wall. What we do is we build a wall, a big dam wall and a dam wall that's going to create jobs and economic opportunity. Now I'm going to allow, of course, the Deputy Prime Minister who has responsibility for this project, I want to thank him for his passion for building dams right across the country, but particularly here in Queensland. And he can beguile you with the amazing facts of this dam, which I've heard ad nauseum. But can I tell you for the last three years, he is so passionate about building dams and we need them. Barnaby, it's great to be with you.
THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Well, thank you very much, Prime Minister. I'd like to acknowledge our local member who's done such a great job we're going to call it the Port of Thompson and off he goes. For Bryce, knows the area, getting around the area, cane farmer. Townsville Enterprise, is this the dam you want? There you go. Water is wealth and a dam is a bank and this is the biggest bank for North Queensland. It's a marvellous outcome, a marvellous outcome. We say all the time to, you're probably sick from hearing it. Australia has to become as strong as possible as quickly as possible. I repeat that. Australia has to become as strong as possible, as quickly as possible, but they're merely words unless you back it up with the capacity to grow the economy, to give us that strength. And this grows the economy to give us that strength. As the Prime Minister rightly pointed out to you and quoted from a veritable source none other than myself. No one in the nation in history I've ever heard of wanting to pull down a dam of wanting to get rid of the dam. Why? Because all the wealth that's attached to it downstream. 60,000 hectares of new irrigation, creating the food not only for Australia, but for the world to help us in that global food task. A righteous task, the task of feeding and clothing people. And we also have the capacity to provide hydroelectricity. You want to do it, dispatchable power, hydroelectricity does this provides hydro electricity. We have a myriad of mines that are just on the cusp of coming online. You know what they want? Reliable power. You know what this provides? Reliable power. It's part of that process. And you know what those mines do, out there, out there. They are export dollars. That is a ship on its way to Asia. It'll earn you money to pay for the NDIS, pay for your social security, pay for your defence, those new nuclear submarines were getting we need many, many thousands upon thousands of boats moving, moving out and earning us export dollars. Just think of your own life, think of what you're wear, the shirt you're wearing right now watching this. I don't believe you got tie on, but I bet you've got a watch on. Where did your watch come from, where did your shirt come from, the strides where'd they come from, the car you drove in, where'd that come from, the fuel inside it. Think of your stove. Think of your television. Think of your fridge, which I'm buying a new one of today. Think of all these things. They all came in on a boat and somebody somewhere must be putting something on a boat and sending in the other direction. That's that. And our job is to say we get it, we understand this economics. So we're building on it.
Now I've heard some other people say, oh, we're just as strong on defence as you are. That's just words. You've actually got to stand behind a mechanism to pay for it. And we're doing that. The Prime Minister is doing that. We understand the task that's before us in these uncertain geopolitical times, we get it. We are planning for it. We are building for it. And we know that in some instances, the cynics will karp. The Green cynics will turn up, they'll find something out there. It's going to stop it. I bet your life. There's a there's a moss, there's a frog. There was a beetle. There's something that's going to stop it. But we know that the future of this nation depends on us doing it. We are doers, not talkers. We are builders. We are makers. We are the people that I'll be happily frank, you've got to give the security of your nation, the strength of your nation to someone who's strong enough, competent enough, is willing to push through these things that make us stronger, make us thrive and survive into the future. And dams are but one section of it. Dams inland rail, roads, health, education, all through to all the things that that manifestly make this the great place it is to live. Our freedoms, our liberties if we want to protect, but we have to have a holistic plan to do it. And ladies and gentlemen, Hells Gates Dam is yet another example of us doing it now.
Finally, say finalise on this. I say to the Queensland Government, the Queensland Labor, Labor, Labor Government. All you have to do is say you approve it. That's all you have to do. We've given up asking you for money, so Urannah Dam, all you have to say is you're going to approve it. Hells Gates Dam, all you have to say is you're going to approve it. That's all you have to do and we in the Commonwealth have been fair players. You came to us wanting money for Paradise Dam, which you built and which fell over. So we're rebuilding. And we put money in the taxpayers pocket of Australia to help you rebuild your dam. And that comes with a form of quid pro quo of goodwill that you now reach forward and say the Commonwealth has done us a good deed on helping us out with that. And all we have to do is approve this. So do it. Otherwise, you're only got one place to reside. You're owned by the Greens.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Barnaby. Claudia.
MS CLAUDIA BRUMME-SMITH, CEO OF TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE: Look, this is a great news story for North Queensland, but also for Queensland and for northern Australia. This is the first dam development in our region for many decades, and we're so excited about the $5.4 billion investment by the Morrison Government who have been supporting this project right from the beginning. And I would like to thank the PM, the Deputy PM, Phillip, as well as Susan for their ongoing commitment to this project. The business case is in its final stages. We submitted the draft report in January this year and it's looking positive. Investors are ready to come in and irrigate the land up in the Highlands and we're really looking forward to working with the state and federal government to get this project over the line. There's 3,200 ongoing jobs that will be created, there's 10,000 construction jobs. Don't get me wrong, this is a project that will have a huge impact on our economy now, but long term this is going to create jobs not only for our children, but the children of our children. So it's a generational building and it's a real nation building project, and it takes a bold and visionary government to support this development, and I really appreciate the funding support that was announced today.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much. Well, happy to take some questions. Let's stay on the dam first and if you want cover other things, that's fine, but let's talk about this exciting project.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, when do you actually expect work will begin on the dam, once the business case has been approved, if it is approved?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, I'm very confident about the detailed business case. This stacks up, but we've had to do the work to make sure it does. This is not being plucked out of the air. This has been a now a four year process to get to this point to know this is the right dam to be built in the right way and Claudia has led that business case process to make sure that is the case. And so the sooner we get it approved, and I mean the detailed business case, I have no doubts about that. The sooner we can get the state government to approve building this dam, then we can get underway. And so that is the next key step. So when they tell us it's approved, we can get moving.
JOURNALIST: Why wouldn't they approve it, if it is such a strong business case?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, look, I can't speak for the Queensland Government, but you know, it took a long time to get Adani underway and that was a strong case and that is transforming North Queensland. And we went through all those approval processes and we got there, and I'm really pleased that we did. But what I can say about this is, I mean, I would hope they would. I mean, I don't think there's a case against this. I think there's only a case for this dam. And anyone who wants to see thousands and thousands of jobs here across North Queensland will support this dam and particularly when all they have to do is get out the big stamp. Now, the only thing that will stop it, I think, is if the Greens get in the ear of either the Federal Labor Party, which we've seen them do that before. Or they get in the ear of the State Labor Government. But as far as the LNP is concerned here in Queensland, we're all for building this dam and many more.
JOURNALIST: Is there anything you can point to from things the state government said that would make you think they're not going to approve it?
PRIME MINISTER: No, not at this stage, no. That's why I'm optimistic, and I would hope that they would, but you know, I do worry about the federal Labor Party and for this reason, if they were to be elected. When we tried to get the changes to the EPBC act through the federal parliament. Now this was a project, and what it meant was that the environmental standards were going to be maintained absolutely as they are right now. All we wanted was a single touch approval process between the federal laws and the state laws, and the federal laws provide for that, but it required some alterations to the legislation. So I went to the National Cabinet. And I said and I went there actually with Premier McGowan from Western Australia who understands how important that is to get mining projects going in his state, and it's important to get projects like this going in this state and all of the premiers and chief ministers agreed that this is something we had to do. When we tried to get it through the parliament, Labor, Albanese Labor opposed it. And so there is a real difference, I think, between a Labor Party led by Anthony Albanese at the federal level and what we've seen, I think with Labor leaders at a state level. Now, I've worked through a lot of projects with Annastacia Palaszczuk. I just announced some further south earlier this week. I was standing up with Premier McGowan. I've stood up with Premier Andrews, we're going forward with our mRNA project down there in Victoria. I work with premiers who want to get stuff done. It doesn't matter whether they're Labor or they're Liberal. But what matters is getting stuff done. What I found with Labor, is the Greens put the pressure on Labor and particularly on Anthony Albanese, and they go to water. There isn't the strength to actually stand up to that and make sure that we get big projects like this going. So I think a vote for Labor at the federal election is a vote against this dam.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Bob Katter said he'd be against any proposal where the dam walls were below 395 metres. Is there any scope to make it bigger than the current proposal that's come from TEL and [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I might ask the DPM to speak to this, but Claudia you might also want to speak to that as well. I mean this proposal, this project is the one that has been worked up and the detailed case studies. Look, whatever project you do, people might, well, you know, I'd like it to be this colour, not that colour. I'd like it to be like this and like that. All I know is under our government, it's going to happen and we're at the point of go now. So you want to build this, then get on board.
MS CLAUDIA BRUMME-SMITH, CEO OF TOWNSVILLE ENTERPRISE: Look, certainly the business case has looked at many options. But we are in need to, you know, comply with the environmental regulations and therefore the size that we have designed is the right size for this scheme and it is the state's largest dam ever being built. It is massive, it will you know, almost irrigate 60,000 hectares of land. That's a big dam developments not only North Queensland, but for the nation.
THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Look, it's started already, hasn't it? You know, we've got to make sure if we facilitated every theory on that's ever been made, there would never be a dam built in this nation. There'd never be a railway line built in this nation that there'd be never a road built in this nation. And you get to a point where you just got to go. You've got to go, go, go, get moving. I was so frustrated. I'll give you an example of how this cafe-esque confusion, stars to evolve and inhibits our capacity to become as strong as possible as quickly as possible. On one section of railway line that I'm driving through with the government to build the inland route to make our nation as strong as possible, as quickly as possible. On one section, about 150 [inaudible]. 13,600 pages of a review. 71 scientists employed, over a thousand years experience, two reviews, reviewed by two reviews, reviewed by two reviews. And you know what they want, another review. Now you get to a point where you say the people of the Commonwealth of Australia say, just get into it, go. And that's what we're going to do.
PRIME MINISTER: Well said, Barnaby. Well said.
JOURNALIST: If you don't have Bob Katter's support, is that going to be a worry heading into the federal election if there is a hung parliament?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't believe so. I mean, we work constructively with Bob. Another very important project up here which we've been working closely on, I was a big fan of this one, and that's the obviously the Copper String project. The Copper String project is going to unlock the western minerals province of North Queensland and the Hughenden Irrigation Scheme is another one that we've committed to and that was working directly with Bob, but you know, it's as, love Bob, but it's not about Bob and Bob would agree it's not about Bob. What it's about, it's about the jobs, it's about the agriculture. It's about the wealth being created, and we're all committed to getting this stuff done. And I said, said we'd do the port, we’re doing the port, it's right there in front of you. It is a reality. Said we would build the stadium. Built. Cowboys are winning that's even better, unless they're playing the Sharks. But course, it's happening. This stuff is happening and we really want to get on with this. We spent four years doing the homework to get to this point. So it's time to put the pedal down and get on with it.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, I might ask a question away from the dams?
PRIME MINISTER: I think we're still dealing with dams.
JOURNALIST: If you don't get the approval from the Labor Government, will that $5 billion stay in Townsville?
PRIME MINISTER: We're going to build the dam. But when it comes to other projects, as you know, when we were dealing with the Townsville City Deal and Phil was the big champion of this at the time. There were some changes to what we're doing, and the water project was a key part of that, and we kept the money in Townsville. But I want the money in the dam. That's what I want, and I think that's what the people of North Queensland want. They want this dam because they know it is their economic future. It's what's going to pay the bills. It's what's going to keep the pressure off inflation and interest rates. These are the things that you do to manage your economy well, you invest in this. As I said, our opponents thought the best way to spend $6 billion was to give it to people as an incentive to have a vaccine that they'd already had. I think, spending $5.4 billion on a dam that's going to unlock the wealth of this region is a much better idea. And that is the difference when it comes to economic management and the judgement and decisions you need to make as a Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister to secure Australia's future for a strong economy, because a strong economy means a stronger future.
JOURNALIST: Is this likely to increase the cost of water in North Queensland?
PRIME MINISTER: No. I'm not sure what that's based on.
JOURNALIST: Down south, water is a lot more expensive [inaudible].
PRIME MINISTER: Do you want to comment on that?
THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The Commonwealth are putting in the money. So if the state come out and said [inaudible], well you'd better send it to us because we're paying for it. This is about, we're building this 2.1 million megalitres of water. Can I just give you one other fact? You know when they built Burdekin Falls, they said it probably wouldn't fell. You know when it fell? The next year. You know the lowest it's ever gone? 38 per cent. Water as well. And the Commonwealth are putting in the money for this. So the state saying we demand a return for something they might as well ask for a return for, I don't know my vegetable garden.
JOURNALIST: Mr Joyce. Sorry, one more, please. Has the federal government received any feedback on the new Bradfield Scheme at all?
THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Well, we received feedback on these all the time and we are doing, look we're doing Hughenden. The Hughenden Irrigation Scheme is vitally important. We have other dams on the western side, there's one down in my area. There's Dungowan Dam, which are, it's being held up by reviews, and we are making sure that we, where it is suitable that we expand, we expand, that we expand our capacity, our agricultural capacity. In 1972, Emerald had 2,000 people. They built, they burned down, but now it's 16,000 people, so we know what this can do. And there is an abundant capacity of agricultural land that resides on this site. We can do that. We got 60,000 hectares, 60,000 hectares. And guess where that money turns up. In Phil Thompson's town. It turns up in the hairdressers, in the tyre shops and accountants and the solicitors, in the fabricators, in all those businesses. All those businesses, the wealth comes into this part of the world making our nation as strong as possible as quickly as possible.
JOURNALIST: There's been a slew of funding announcements for dam projects. Were these projects like Hells Gates what the Nationals asked for in return for supporting net zero?
THE HON. BARNABY JOYCE MP, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: We just believe that we're making our nation as strong as possible, as quickly as possible, and you are dead right. We have been announcing dam projects. Rookwood Weir, now very long while for the state government to actually get on board. You know, we finally got there. And Paradise Dam. They said, look our dam's fallen over, can you help us out. So the Commonwealth picked up a tab for $600 million to get it rebuilt. Urannah Dam, the private enterprise said we can't wait for the state, we'll put in our half, the other half for you. Emu Swamp. You know why we're building dams and you go down to Dungowan Dam, and you go down to Tasmania, Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme. You go to MacAlister Irrigation District. [inaudible]. Why are we doing this? Because we make our nation as strong as possible, as quickly as possible. And you're getting sick of me saying that aren't you? But I'm not going to stop because that's the message to the Australian people have got to get, and they've got to make this decision. This election is a choice. It is a choice. Are we able to make a nation as strong as possible, as quickly as possible or are the Greens and the Labor Party, the ones who are going to rely on? And that is a self-evident answer.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you've referred to cutting the green tape to get on with the project, what green tape are you referring to?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I just pointed out one of the most important issues we want to see passed through the Parliament and that's to ensure we can get single touch approvals when it comes to EPBC Act. This is a massive one. The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister is here with me at the moment. This has been a great frustration. I mean, I'll tell you the sort of red tape we've been seeking to cut. Yes, we've done, sought to get the change to the EPBC Act. We also sought to get greenfield side agreements through the industrial relations law changes, you know who opposed it? The Labor Party. Who opposed us on the EPBC Act reforms, the Labor Party, not state Labor, Federal Labor, they're not the same thing. Anthony Albanese is not the state Labor Party here in Queensland. He is the federal Labor Party, the most left wing Labor leader, probably certainly in living memory. And I don't think I can even say Gough Whitlam anymore. I think you've got to go back to Doc Evatt, and he's trying to change his spots before an election and pretend he's nothing he's been for the last 30 years. Well, I know who I've been for the last 30 years, and that hasn't changed, and I think Australians know that. That means some like me, some don't like me, but they know what I stand for when it comes to the economy, when it comes to national security, standing up for Australia, getting jobs, all of these sorts of things. Anthony Albanese, he was for higher taxes on superannuation, was for higher taxes on self-funded retirees. He was for higher taxes on building a house. He was for higher prices on electricity. He's voted for all of those things. He supported all of those things. And now he's pretending to be something very, very, very different now. I think people can see through all of that. Another one is occupational licencing. That means a tradie, an electrician who may have got their ticket down in South Australia can come up here and work in the mines or indeed on this very port as an electrician here, and their trades are recognised. Now we were able to get that through, you know, who opposed it? The Labor Party. Anthony Albanese Labor opposed that. We even had the Victorian Greens in their state parliament vote for that legislation for occupational licencing reform, but the federal Labor Party under Anthony Albanese voted against it. This is what people need to understand about federal Labor. What happens at the state level, happens at a state level, whether it's South Australia, Western Australia, anywhere else but federal Labor under Anthony Albanese is not the same. It is a very, very different animal.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese says no complaint was made in relation to the allegations against Kimberley Kitching. If he's not going to launch an investigation, are there any avenues for the government to?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what strikes me about this issue with Anthony Albanese and the rather disturbing claims of bullying by Labor members themselves. This isn't an accusation that the Liberal Party has put forward. It's not. This is something that has been put forward by Labor Party members, members, Labor members of Parliament, former Labor members of Parliament who know the culture of the Labor Party. And what I find distressing about this is firstly the double standard that he's applied. He's very quick to throw stones on these issues. But when it comes to actually meeting the very standard that he seeks to apply to others, then he fails at the first hurdle and he goes to ground. So I think the hypocrisy and double standard of that, I think, really just doesn't sit well with the Australian people.
But the second thing about this is if Anthony Albanese cannot stand up to the bullies in his own party, then how on earth is he going to have the strength to stand up to the bullies in our own region? How is he going to stand up to the bullies who seek to coerce Australia's interests? That's not that's not a good sign. And so our government, I think, has been really clear that we stand up for the interests we stand up for building dams, to stand up for the big projects that make a big difference that actually drive the wealth of this nation so we can have a strong economy, for a stronger future.
But it's great, great to be here in Townsville today. I love coming to Townsville. And it's because it's great to see so many of the projects that we announced many years ago, all coming to fruition or making a big difference. And I'm particularly thrilled to be here at the port where so much of that investment has taken place and is really transforming. I remember what Townsville was like back in 2016. And Townsville was in a really hard place and I'm just so proud of the people of Townsville about how they pick themselves up. What we've simply done, is just back them in and back them in with important investments that they've said, this is what you need to do, Prime Minister. We need the port upgrade. We need the Hells Gates Dam and we've done the work and this is the way it should be done. And we've come in and said, yes, yes, yes. That's what you'll get from us. Great to be here with the DPM. Great to be here with you, Bryce, Claudia, and thank you all very much for coming out today.
