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

I thank the member for Corio for his question and his support for important infrastructure development which is important for his electorate, including the Regional Rail Link, the largest ever federal investment in any public transport project in Australia's history. Indeed, we have overhauled the way that we plan, prioritise finance and build infrastructure in this country. We have done it by getting the policy framework right, by establishing Infrastructure Australia which, since it was formed, has put 15 projects on the ready-to-proceed list. And all 15, as a result of the budget this year, have now been funded, with additional funding for the two managed motorways projects in Melbourne and the Melbourne Metro, and the Cross River Rail.

In Melbourne we have allocated $3 billion for the Metro project, which is necessary to open the rail network up for the future. You need to do the Melbourne Metro as a precondition for doing anything else on the Melbourne network, including extensions with spurs to Doncaster, Tullamarine airport and, of course, Avalon Airport. Unless you fix the Metro you cannot do other measures. We had discussions with the Victorian government over many years. It has a robust case that was submitted, letters exchanged to confirm agreements, but all was undermined by this Leader of the Opposition's negativity. He not only says that he will not fund public transport projects; he is onto state governments saying they should renege on the written agreements that were done, negotiated in good faith. Similarly with the Brisbane Cross River Rail project: $715 million from each level of government, fifty-fifty funding, Australian government guarantee of private sector debt, the GST concession on both projects that was asked for. On both projects, state governments asking, we delivered; letters exchanged; smart investments to ensure that both Brisbane and Melbourne can function productively and we can do something about open congestion—but torn up because those opposite do not like anything with the word 'public' in it.

They do not like public transport. They do not like public education. They do not like public broadcasters. They do not like the public. If it is something that has public in it they have an ideological objection to it.

Mr Ewen Jones interjecting—

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