Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Sunday I had the privilege of attending the opening of Springfield's new parklands, called Robelle Domain, located in the eastern suburbs of Ipswich. Five hundred jobs were created. Present at the opening were the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer, Wayne Swan, the Hon. Anna Bligh, the Premier of Queensland, the Mayor of Ipswich, Paul Pisasale, the federal member for Oxley, Bernie Ripoll, and me.

This $30 million project was made possible by the federal Labor government's $10 million initiative under the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. There are water features, a walk through the trees, aquatic recreational facilities and many other facilities. It is four times the size of the parklands at Southbank. It is named after Bob Sharpless, a director and shareholder in the Springfield Land Corporation, and his wife, Belinda, who supported him through this initiative.

This is a perfect example of the federal Labor government, the state Labor government and the City of Ipswich working together to enhance facilities for recreation right across South-East Queensland. The point I want to make is that there were 500 jobs created. I want everyone in South-East Queensland to know that the LNP voted against this initiative. They voted against the funding in this initiative, and every time people go to the parklands they should remember that it was only Labor representatives here who supported this initiative. It was only Labor representatives who voted for the funding for this initiative. Those opposite opposed nation building and community building in the whole western corridor in the federal electorates of Oxley and Blair. (Time expired)