When people think of the arts sector they often think of celebrities. But, of course, 92,000 Queenslanders are directly or indirectly employed in the creative workforce. Data released last week showed that the arts and recreation services have experienced some of the worst job losses during COVID-19. Live Performance Australia estimates the COVID-19 impacts on Queensland's live performance industry over a three-month-ban period would result in the loss of $79 million in ticket sales.

This government's never found a public fund that it doesn't want to rort. We've just seen even more evidence of that this week, when we learned exactly what happened with the Environment Restoration Fund. More than two-thirds of the initiatives under that fund went to Liberal or Liberal-target seats. Of course, most of the rest of them went to National or as-yet-unallocated issues. In fact, if you had a look, you'd find only three out of the entire 55 initiatives were exclusively in non-LNP or LNP-target seats.

I'm here to talk about traffic congestion, because traffic congestion is one of the key issues in my electorate and on the south side of Brisbane generally. Everyone in this place knows, because I have told them about it so many times, that the Cavendish Road level crossing is one of the worst traffic snarls on the south side.

As I said earlier today, and I just want to make the point again, traffic and traffic congestion are a significant problem in my electorate. I want to call on the government to actually put some serious money on the table for the Cavendish Road level crossing outside the Coorparoo train station. As you know, Deputy Speaker McVeigh, we have a situation where there have been so many different funds that have been rorted by this government, and one is the Urban Congestion Fund. Eighty-three per cent of the money in that fund went to Liberal held or Liberal targeted seats—none to my seat. But the people of Coorparoo deserve to have their congestion busted, just as much as anyone does.

On Australia Day I announced the winners of the 21st Annual Griffith Australia Day Awards, a tradition started by my predecessor as member for Griffith and former Prime Minister the Hon. Kevin Rudd. Each of the wonderful people who received an award this year has made an enduring contribution to our community as a volunteer, seeking neither financial reward nor recognition.

This seven-year-old chaotic government was supposed to deliver water security for Australians, but instead our country is desperately seeking national leadership on water. Australians have faced the worst drought on record and are crying out for the federal government to take water security seriously, but water security is a mess. Regional towns at the point of or on the brink of running out of water have been forced to truck it in, and they have been calling out for help. Independent body Infrastructure Australia has noted that crises like the Menindee fish kill have undermined confidence in the governance and management of Australia's water resources.

As happens every day in this place, I want to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we are meeting, and pay my respects to their elders past and present. Here in the Canberra region, the traditional owners are the Ngunnawal people and the Ngambri people. I also want to acknowledge my colleagues and fellow parliamentarians who are Aboriginal people: the Hon. Linda Burney, Senators McCarthy, Dodson and Lambie, and the Hon. Ken Wyatt.

I move:

That this House:

(1) notes:

(a) the importance of grassroots youth arts organisations, including Backbone, based in the electoral division of Griffith;

(b) that for thirty years Backbone has helped young people find purpose, develop skills and contribute to our nation's culture; and

(c) that despite Backbone's success, the Government has cut its funding, and the organisation now faces closure; and

(2) calls on the Government to urgently commit to restore funding to Backbone.

Last week's brutal killing of Hannah, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey has devastated our southside community. I want to give my condolences—and, I am sure, those on behalf of the House—to Lloyd, to Sue, to Nathaniel and to their entire family, who were so brave at last night's memorial service in Camp Hill.