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

I thank very much the member for Shortland for her question. Over the next six years, we will be investing some $3.2 billion in upgrading and building rail infrastructure. This is record investment that will create and sustain more than 1,400 direct jobs. Our investment, over half the period, is more than double what those opposite spent in this area of infrastructure.

In December we announced $1.2 billion for the Australian Rail Track Corporation, rolling out an additional 17 rail projects right across the country to enhance freight movement and to create local jobs. Work has commenced already, and already hundreds of jobs have been created. The nation-building package will result in not just direct jobs in terms of on the site of where the railway works are taking place but also indirect jobs. It will result in 2.2 million new concrete sleepers, locally manufactured and installed, with 65 jobs in Wagga, which those opposite are opposed to; 60 in Mittagong that they are opposed to; 60 in Grafton that they are opposed to; and 50 at Geelong that they are opposed to. Those on that side of the House take comfort in unemployment. On this side of the House, we are investing in infrastructure and jobs. Our largest investment is $1 billion—

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