Retiring Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch, pictured after his final day in Parliament last week, has described the Federal Government’s 2025-26 budget as a “profound failure” for Cape York and the Torres Strait. Photo: Facebook (Warren Entsch MP).
Cape York and the Torres Strait have missed out on funding for vital infrastructure projects and social initiatives in the Federal Government’s 2025-26 budget.
Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers unveiled the Labor government’s pre-election budget on 25 March but there was little joy for residents and business operators in the northernmost part of the country, with the region not mentioned once in the 356-page budget strategy and outlook.
Cost of living relief in the form of minimal tax cuts has been promised in the budget, with a worker on average earnings set to get a tax break of $268 in the 2026–27 financial year – about $5 per week.
The Treasurer said the government was “investing more than $120 billion in infrastructure in every state and territory over the decade”, however, nothing has been committed to the co-funding arrangement with the State Government to proceed stage three of the Cape York Region Package.
There were hopes of a pre-election commitment from both major parties to the $240 million required to kickstart the third stage of the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) sealing but there appears to be little interest in Canberra for the project.
Outgoing Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch, who began retirement after 26 years’ representation on 28 March when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the election for 3 May, described the budget as a “profound failure” for Cape York and the Torres Strait.
“It was clearly an election budget,” he said.
“A $5 a week tax cut’s not going to do anything for our workers in Weipa and Cooktown and places like that – it’s not going to benefit any workers anywhere.
“What are you going to buy for 73 cents a day?”
Mr Entsch said he was expecting to see a commitment to funding the PDR in the budget and said it was disappointing the region “didn’t get a mention”.
“It’s profoundly disappointing – I was expecting to see it at least get a commitment,” he said.
“Leichhardt’s supposed to be up there for the take, but I’ll tell you now, if that’s the way they treat Leichhardt, they don’t deserve to get their hands on it.
“It didn’t feature anywhere we didn’t get a mention.”
With his Parliamentary office now packed up, the outgoing MP said he was retiring with no regrets as the electorate geared up to determine who would replace him in Canberra.
“I’m ready, mate,” he said.
“I think I’ve made it very clear I don’t intend to retire, but I will be retiring from politics.
“I’ve got plenty of things I want to do.”
