Today Wayne Swan, Acting Prime Minister and Treasurer, officially opened the newly redeveloped common user terminal at Brisbane Airport.
The new terminal will serve more than half a dozen airlines, including Jetstar, Brindabella, Strategic and other regional airlines.
"I'm very pleased to be here today to open this excellent modern facility for the nearly 20 million passengers that use Brisbane Airport every year," Mr Swan said.
"As Australia's third busiest international airport, Brisbane is a critical piece of national infrastructure and makes a major contribution to the economy.
"Having had a significant involvement at the airport for many years as the local MP, I understand just how important this investment is to our future.
"The development of the airport's capacity and providing a modern link between Brisbane and the world is absolutely vital for Queensland tourism and business.
"Importantly, during construction, this terminal supported 1,000 jobs, many of which were in the local area, which has been a terrific boost to our economy."
Mr Albanese said that the project was part of a $500 million expansion of the domestic terminal and a broader $4.2 billion investment program at the airport.
"This investment, supported by the Gillard Labor Government's commitment to infrastructure, will address the strong growth expected at Brisbane over the next 20 years," he said.
"Job and passenger numbers at the airport are projected to more than double over the next 20 years. The number of passengers alone is expected to go from nearly 20 million today to more than 42 million in the next two decades.
"It is also great to see that the new terminal will be more energy-efficient, using low-energy lighting, thermal insulation, skylights, low emission glass facades and recycled water."
Mr Swan congratulated Brisbane Airport and the workers and businesses involved in delivering this infrastructure for the community and the economy.