Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

So this is a growing trend, Mr Deputy Speaker. We have not just been funding large infrastructure projects like the Hunter Expressway and the Pacific Highway. In my electorate—I just made a quick note—there are new local road pavements, boom gates, traffic lights, roundabouts, median strips and central barriers, road shoulders and road realignments in Cessnock, Maitland, Singleton, Muswellbrook and Scone in my electorate. In fact, in every town in my electorate there has been an investment in what would be described as more small-scale road and rail infrastructure. These are things the Commonwealth never dreamed of funding in the past, or at least there was no expectation on the Commonwealth to fund these things in the past, and I think it is time that some of our state governments took a bit of a reality check, looked at their own finances and took some responsibility for some of these projects.

I should acknowledge that the then Labor New South Wales government put some $200 million into the Hunter Expressway—$200 million of $1.7 billion. We would have liked to have seen much more, but we welcomed that contribution. But the states, including new Premier Barry O'Farrell—I am prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt; we will give him a chance to demonstrate that he can be a good Premier; I am sure he has the ability if he turns his mind to it and shuns the politics—should expect to be making these contributions. I was just amazed that he did anything other than come out and welcome overwhelmingly such an acceleration on a road project that has so long been calling for additional funding. If the Howard government had been funding it at the pace we have been funding it, we would have a dual carriageway all the way up the Pacific Highway now. I spoke about cooperation at the beginning and I want to go back to that point. I am a great advocate of the abolition of the states and I am very happy to restate that here. I see I get an almost unanimous view around the chamber. Is it unanimous? Can I have a show of hands?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The honourable member for New England ought to observe the standing orders.

Did I miss the score? What was it?

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