MPs begin new era

THE region's two new Federal MPs are holding onto their campaign promises while Australia's leadership still hangs in the balance.

Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann, said he will be pushing infrastructure projects this term.

“The Blacksoil project will be important for the whole seat for those in Ipswich travelling and obviously for those in the Lockyer Valley and Somerset region,” he said.

Mr Neumann said the $70 million project will require a flyover.

“It is an absolutely shocking intersection,” he said.

“Because of the rapidly growing areas within the seat of Blair, you can see how important infrastructure is.”

Mr Neumann said the national broadband network is also a major priority for him, due to its connection with other parts of Australian life.

“It is crucial, nation building stuff,” he said.

“It allows farmers in regional and isolated areas to get e-health and school kids access to the internet.

“This means a kid from Gatton is able to compete with the kids from Sydney.”

Mr Neumann said his plan for the heath system revolves around a hub and spoke model.

“The Ipswich hospital would be the hub and the regional and rural hospitals would be the spokes,” he said.

“It will be a half a million dollar medical upgrade and the national broadband network is definitely connected to that in terms of what will be available for e-health,” he said.

Mr Neumann said people of all ages from across the whole region will benefit from his time as Member for Blair.

Member for Wright, Scott Buchholz, said his capacity to get things done for his constituents depends on who is in government.

“At the moment it feels surreal, so until we know who has the chequebook we won't know how much we will be able to do,” he said.

Mr Buchholz said one of his main priorities is making sure small business and residents have more money at the end of the week.

“If we are going to move forward from one of the greatest debts ever seen, and we are going to ask residents and small businesses to tighten their belts then it is only fair for a diligent government to tighten its own belt too,” he said.

Mr Buchholz said he thinks the economy as a whole will benefit from his time as a Federal MP.

“We have the three sectors that we look after, we have the small business, we have the producers and we have the mums and dads and really all of them are just have a basic philosophy,” he said.

“They just want less tax, and more money.”

Mr Buchholz said one plan that is important to the area is the $1.5 million safer community program for Logan, West, Gatton and Mudgeeraba.

“We will be working with the mayors of the communities closely with each application for CCTV, which has to be supported by the local police,” he said.

He said consultation with local police is very important for CCTV, as they know the local hotspots and the best place for cameras, ensuring residents are getting value for money.

Mr Buchholz believes the seat of Wright got its fair share from the Coalition's plan.

“When you think that the coalitions overall Australia wide plan for the safer community project was budgeted at $50 million and you realise that we have been allocated 1.5 of that, you see that we did well,” he said.

Mr Buchholz said he supports the government's school halls program, but would like to see more consultation to make sure the schools and communities get what they need.

“Too many times I have been to a community and what they want is bridges and they get a school hall,” he said.

He said the much anticipated $700 million Toowoomba bypass project is also a top priority for him.