Jim Turnour (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Infrastructure is a key element of the COAG agenda. The Rudd government’s reform of COAG is instrumental in providing Australians with the infrastructure they deserve. The government’s three nation-building funds; the Building Australia Fund, the Health and Hospitals Fund and the Education Investment Fund, will focus on addressing the shortfalls in our country’s infrastructure, a legacy of the Howard government. Whether it is roads, universities or hospitals, these funds are an investment in our future.

The Nation-building Funds Bill and the COAG Reform Fund Bill 2008 are important pieces of legislation. They will be used to finance national investment priorities. They will improve federal financial relations significantly and replace the complex, inconsistent, bureaucratic system currently in existence. We committed to ending the blame game but we are not giving a blank cheque to the states. The COAG Reform Fund Bill and the Nation-building Funds Bill will be an important tool in turning this commitment to the long-term interest of delivering for Australian families into action. This is a new era and we will deliver better services to all Australians.

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