Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome the first ever question on infrastructure from a coalition representative in this House. We have been waiting for the opposition to show some interest in infrastructure. Infrastructure Australia has been established, with its head office in Sydney. Infrastructure Australia is a streamlined organisation—we are making sure that there is no waste.

I will take the shadow minister to the offices, if he would like, to meet the many staff working for Infrastructure Australia. Infrastructure Australia—and we have said this from the very beginning, but they just do not get it—is a coordinating body of Commonwealth, state and local governments and the private sector. If you go into Infrastructure Australia, you will see many workers seconded from state and territory governments working with expertise. That is why they have been seconded to work on the development of the infrastructure priority list. You will also see in Infrastructure Australia the Major Cities Unit. On Wednesday at a conference in Sydney on global cities I will be announcing the appointment of the head of the Major Cities Unit. A fine appointment is coming up.

Infrastructure Australia has made certain that we have had a considered approach to these issues. We have taken up these issues after more than a decade of neglect from those opposite. We have those opposite once again walking both sides of the street. They say now that they support infrastructure, but they do not support Infrastructure Australia. They attempt through this question to undermine the confidence that is out there in the business community, the federal government, the state governments and the local governments.

The last time I was at Infrastructure Australia I sat around the table with Infrastructure Australia board members, led by Sir Rod Eddington. People such as Mark Birrell, Heather Ridout and Ross Rolfe are dismissed by those opposite as not being relevant. Those people are making an outstanding contribution.

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