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

I wish to respond to three issues that have been raised by members during this debate. Firstly, the Leader of the National Party. I was surprised that he actually raised the Pacific Highway. The fact is we are committing $3.1 billion over six years. The former government spent $1.3 billion over 12 years. Right now, in terms of construction commencing or construction that has already commenced, there is the Banora Point upgrade, the Ballina bypass, the Glenugie upgrade, the Kempsey bypass, the Woolgoolga to Arrawarra section and the Bulahdelah bypass. Over 1,000 people right now are working on the Pacific Highway. Had the Howard government kept up their proportion over the period compared with the New South Wales government’s contribution, that duplication would now be close to completion. The member for Page and I met with the Pacific Highway taskforce and all the mayors along that highway, and they all congratulated the government on the work we are doing.

In relation to aviation security, I say to the Leader of the Nationals: this should not be a partisan issue. Our regional airports need upgrading, and we are providing the capital funding to make sure that occurs. Frankly, to come in here and just make up a figure in order to have a scare campaign is irresponsible. We know that aviation security and safety is the No. 1 priority identified by the aviation white paper. The government is committed to pursuing these reforms. We have sat down with industry and the airports and worked through these changes.

Secondly, in terms of the questions from the member for Berowra, I can confirm to the member that we have allocated $150 million. It is in the Nation Building Program. The memorandum of understanding has been signed with the state government and we remain committed to that funding. The New South Wales government needs to determine its position as to whether it will proceed with this project but we have ensured that the funding has been quarantined, and I will continue to do so. I think the F3 to the M2 is an important project. It is unfortunate that this is the first lot of Commonwealth funding allocated to this project. Over the previous 12 years they did not get it; under our government $150 million has been allocated in the Nation Building Program. That is why consistency of funding for infrastructure is vital and that is why I would caution the coalition against making commitments against this spending. We are committed to the integrity of that process, and that should be maintained.

Turning now to the noise abatement issue that the member raised, I would expect that that these discussions perhaps would have taken place at Austroads, which essentially is a committee made up of the RTA in New South Wales and its road transport equivalents around the country. They are responsible for research and for standards. This has not been an agenda item at the Australian Transport Council ministerial meetings that I chair, and I am advised that that was also the case under the former government. So Austroads is where the discussion would have taken place.

With regard to the questions from the member for Corangamite, construction is underway on the Geelong Ring Road stage 4A. Detailed planning is underway on stage 4B, which is scheduled to start in the 2010-11 financial year. Construction on the long awaited duplication of the Princes Highway between Waurn Ponds and Winchelsea will commence this year. In partnership with the state government, we are delivering roadworks worth some $435 million for the people living in this region of Victoria, including, of course, Roads to Recovery funding which this government is committed to and the opposition has threatened. (Time expired)

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