Chris Hayes (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Greg, I had wished that during that quorum a few of your other colleagues would have turned up. I would have liked to have seen the member for Cook here. This bill is very much concerned about the issue of black spots. That is very significant and goes to the heart of this bill. Those opposite want to oppose important aspects of the Black Spot Program, as it is contained in this bill. But what do they say when it gets down to their electorates? The member for Cook just got $50,000 for the installation of guard rails on the Pacific Highway at Sylvania. I am glad he did not run down for this quorum. The member for Paterson—big, bold Bob—is likely to do many things in this House, but he has not come in here and said how he welcomed the $450,000 for the installation of traffic lights on the New England Highway at Metford. The member for Cowper, who just sat behind in the House during the diatribe from the Leader of the Nationals, got $75,000 for three separate projects on the Pacific Highway in Clybucca, Urunga, and Corindi. They made much of these projects in their electorates. They went out and tried to claim credit for these things. But the fact of the matter is that they are here, and they will be here again today, voting against this part of the program. When it comes to the issue of what this opposition should be tagged as, ‘hypocritical’ comes to my mind. This bill is central to the delivery of a $26.4 billion road and rail program—the Nation Building program. The bill proposes changes to ensure the more effective provision of major road and rail infrastructure projects throughout the national network, as well as various projects that are off the network. The bill also provides for a more efficient application of the Roads to Recovery Program and the Black Spot Program. As I have mentioned, these are three projects that fall into coalition electorates now.

We need to make these changes now to make sure that we can deliver on our road and rail infrastructure program in the most efficient and effective way. This budget has been carefully crafted to stimulate the economy now to support jobs. But it has also been crafted to build the long-term savings infrastructure to ensure fiscal stability so that the net debt level of this country remains the lowest of all major advanced economies in the world. That might be a tall order, but that is something we have committed to.

Despite all the ranting and raving of the opposition, we have heard absolutely nothing yet of their plan. At this stage they like what we are doing in relation to schools—at least in the local media they like it. Yet they came in here and opposed our $17.4 billion investment in education. They opposed the bill that led to Building the Education Revolution. They came into this place and opposed our commitment to social housing and building of 200,000 additional houses. They also opposed the maintenance and refurbishment of existing public housing stock. They have a track record. They have already been tagged. They are hypocritical to the extreme.

They do not have a position with respect to the economy. That is pretty clear when you look at the exchanges that have occurred in the media, particularly when you contrast the views of the shadow Treasurer with those of his leader. If you listen to what they have actually said—listen to what the shadow Treasurer has said in relation to borrowings—you know they would be running a debt. Of course they would. Not once in the Leader of the Opposition’s budget reply speech did he refer to the effect of the world financial crisis. They have tried to perpetuate this myth that the difficulties we now find ourselves in are a consequence of 18 months of a Labor government. They do not believe that. No-one in the Australian community in their wildest dreams believes that. Most people have a TV set and if they do not they read the newspaper. They actually know what is going on out there. Yet the opposition want to come in here and try to perpetuate these myths with a view to avoiding saying what they would do and simply voting against the initiatives that have been taken by the government.

I concede that the opposition leader has a very hard job. I often said that when we were in opposition. I think the hardest job in the parliament must be that of an opposition leader. Clearly, it is a difficult job. I feel sorry for the bloke.

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