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

I thank the member for his question. We are investing in rail projects as well as road projects. We are investing in the cities and in the regions in projects like the Moreton Bay regional rail link in Brisbane, which is under construction thanks to funding being brought forward, and under threat by the opposition's 'no to public transport' policy. They have made it clear that where a contract is not finalised they will rip that money and that project back. We have put $2½ billion into the Ipswich Motorway, including additional money for the next section in this year's budget—but there has been nothing from those opposite. We are putting $5.7 billion in total into the Bruce Highway, including the $4.1 billion 10-year plan; nothing, and no commitments from those opposite. We are putting over $300 million into the Warrego Highway; from those opposite, absolutely no commitment whatsoever.

You wonder why they have such an objection to public transport. I was thinking about this, and I went back to one of his role models, Margaret Thatcher, who said in 1986:

A man who, beyond the age of 26, finds himself on a bus can count himself as a failure.

Those opposite have an elitist approach to anything that the word 'public' is in. They do not like public schools, they do not like public transport, they do not like the public. (Time expired)

Mr Christensen interjecting—

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