Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hinkler for his question. As the chair of the transport committee for a number of years, he has produced a number of reports that have sought increases in government investment in both road and rail infrastructure across Australia. As a response to those we have delivered in spades in recent years, this government, through AusLink 1 and 2, has committed $38 billion to land transport infrastructure in Australia, with the first stage of that, $2.4 billion, going into rail infrastructure in Australia. I think every Australian understands the history of rail in Australia. The networks have been generated and managed by state governments—some better than others, but mostly not very well. We have had to negotiate, for example, in New South Wales to take over a lease on the main interstate freight line, and also the Hunter Valley coal line, so that we could actually have certainty in investing in those pieces of infrastructure. For example, we are investing $389 million into the Hunter Valley coal line to make it more efficient, to get more coal to the port. Unfortunately, the New South Wales government is not matching that investment at the port to get the coal off the dock and onto the ships. But at least we have fixed up one part of it—

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