Mr LINDSAY (5:14 PM) —The member for Throsby quite rightly assumed that I would want to say a few words about the Lavarack Barracks recommendation. The motion refers to Australia's largest army base, and probably its most important army base, because it really is the sharp end of the army in Australia.

Mr Slipper —Represented by one of the best members.

Mr LINDSAY —Thanks, Parliamentary Secretary. Lavarack, which houses the 3rd Brigade, is very important to the defence of this country. It contains the Ready Deployment Force—the force that responds within 24 hours if there is an emergency anywhere in the world. That force is situated in the electorate of Herbert.

Work at Lavarack Barracks is urgently needed. I am pleased to see the recommendation to provide the expenditure to carry out the proposed work. The accommodation provided for the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd battalions is 30 to 35 years old. It is terrible, Mr Deputy Speaker; quite literally, you cannot swing a cat in a soldier's room. The accommodation is tiny and cramped. There are communal facilities and there is no airconditioning, even though it is located in the tropics. It really is bad. I am pleased to see that we are addressing new accommodation arrangements for Lavarack. The officers and men of the 1st and 2nd battalions—indeed, the whole 3rd Brigade—will appreciate this recommendation.

There will also be modern mess facilities and a new internal road transport system. Incidentally, the Lavarack Barracks frontage on University Drive runs for about 4½ kilometres. That shows how big it is. So the internal transport arrangements are very important.

This is a $139 million project. It is a massive project for Townsville and for Thuringowa. The flow-on from this investment into the local economy will be most welcome. I certainly hope—and the army has given me an assurance—that where local contractors can be used, the locals will benefit from this investment. I am pleased to see that this is programmed to start as soon as possible this year. I heartily support the motion.