John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The people of Bennelong will not have been surprised this morning to wake to the headline that the Gillard government has broken its $2.1 billion promise to fund the construction of the Epping to Parramatta rail link. Just 10 days before the 2010 federal election, the Prime Minister joined with the then Labor Premier, Kristina Keneally, and my predecessor, Maxine McKew, to announce this link. This came despite the fact that the rail project did not exist anywhere in the New South Wales government's 10-year infrastructure plan and the fact that the Gillard government's own experts, Infrastructure Australia, did not consider it to be a priority project.

The Prime Minister's promise to the people of Bennelong and Parramatta was shrewdly crafted, as the money was not actually set to start flowing till 2014. However, time always has a way of catching up, and, now the money needs to be accounted for, it is nowhere to be seen. The other condition on this money was that the federal budget would have to be in surplus. As we are all aware, Treasurer Wayne Swan has promised a surplus year after year but has never managed to deliver one—more broken promises.

The Chatswood to Parramatta rail link was first announced by the then state government in 1998, at a cost of $1 billion. After inaction and cost blowouts, half of the link from Chatswood to Epping was finally completed in 2009, at a cost of $2.4 billion. The 2010 announcement of $2.6 billion to complete the link meant a blowout of 500 per cent. This is simply not the way to govern our country. The people of Parramatta, of Bennelong and of the nation deserve better.

In contrast, the O'Farrell Liberal government in New South Wales was elected in 2011 with a promise to build the north-west rail link. This essential rail infrastructure project was first promised by former Premier Bob Carr in 1998 at a cost of $350 million but was never built. The massive growth in the area and the increase in property values has seen the construction bill skyrocket by $8 billion. This is the cost of inaction and broken promises. Regardless, Premier O'Farrell identified this as a priority piece of infrastructure. He promised the community his government would build it and he is already honouring that promise.

Labor governments state and federal have forged a strong reputation for broken promises on infrastructure projects. The Epping to Parramatta rail link is just another to add to this list. Thankfully the people of Bennelong saw through this promise in 2010 and on many occasions I have stood in this place to challenge the government to honour this election commitment. As is their political strategy—

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