Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

I am surprised to get a dorothy dix from my friend the member for Brisbane, but I do thank her for it. This project is vital for Australia's future, and this agreement is vital for delivering it. The money needed to be raised for this project is $9.5 billion. That needs to be raised on international markets, and that makes this the biggest single debt-raising to occur on the planet this year. To get that finance, Roy Hill needs to reassure its investors that it is able to complete the project on time and on budget. Because the very significant expansion in the resources sector in Australia as we speak is so big—which goes to show the myths that are peddled by the Leader of the Opposition about the resource sector and the impact of the carbon price and the minerals resource rent tax—Skills Australia estimates that an additional 89,000 workers will be required in the mining sector by 2016 compared to November 2010.

It is important that this agreement delivers on those jobs. There have been a lot of myths perpetrated over the last few days. Let us be very clear about this: 6,700 jobs are being delivered to Australians because of the actions of this government, because this government has entered into this agreement. That is something I am justly proud of.

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