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

In a way it would be funny if it was not so serious, if those opposite did not seek to control the treasury bench. This month I was in Launceston with the member for Bass and there I announced funding for a detailed business case for the Launceston bypass, part of our $500 million fully costed commitment to upgrade the Midland Highway—to upgrade parts of it, making it clear what we can do with that money and what we cannot do with that money.

The Leader of the Opposition has promised $400 million to fully duplicate the Midland Highway. Unfortunately, it is a $2.7 billion project. When he was asked about it, they did not have any proper analysis but he said, 'I certainly have been in informal discussions with people.' That is what he said. Well, I say to the Leader of the Opposition: give us the mob that can build a $2.7 billion duplication of the Midland Highway for $400 million and we'll sign up straightaway! This was a policy that was done on the back of a coaster somewhere in Tassie. Probably after a light beer shandy, the Leader of the Opposition got out the coaster and wrote out this policy. Of course he has got form, because he also said when speaking about the East West Link that he had spoken to Infrastructure Australia, and we know that that is not true. When he speaks about roads he repeats the falsehood. When he speaks about roads he speaks about ' aspirations'. Now we have apparitions—apparitions instead of real projects with real money to create real jobs to create real roads. (Time expired)

See this speech in context