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

I thank the member for Corangamite for his question and his ongoing interest in these issues. Indeed, last night’s budget delivered another $1 billion injection into the Australian Rail Track Corporation. That lifts our contribution to some $3.4 billion over six years—twice as much funding as was given for the national rail freight system by the previous government in half the time. Twice the funding in half the time! This will support some 1,500 jobs in regional Australia. We are fixing the rail lines between Maitland and the Queensland border—some 58 separate projects towards the border; in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales; between Whyalla and Broken Hill and between Broken Hill and Parks; between Albury, down through Melbourne to Geelong; and between Gheringhap and Maroona and between Koolyanobbing and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. We are straightening the rail lines, we are building new passing loops and we are ripping out the old wooden sleepers—

See this speech in context