Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to oppose the Minerals Resource Rent Tax Repeal and Other Measures Bill 2013. The last speaker spoke about associated measures with the MRRT. I notice that she and possibly other members of the coalition would be very reluctant to mention the fact that one of those measures is the Regional Infrastructure Fund. In talking about the economy and in talking about jobs, those opposite fail to understand that investment in long-term economic productivity of the nation requires investment in infrastructure—not rhetoric on infrastructure, but investment in infrastructure.

With the MRRT design in terms of the Regional Infrastructure Fund, that will be abolished—as has been confirmed in Senate estimates as well yesterday and the day before—the implications are that my former Department of Infrastructure and Transport has no idea which of these projects are going to continue and how they can possibly be funded

It is not like the MRRT was created in a vacuum. Indeed, over a considerable period of time there was concern that during the former coalition government's time in office there were record revenues coming into government coffers but there were also record profits being made and that revenue was not being put back to the benefit of the community. Of course, the minerals are owned by all Australians under our Constitution and legal provisions. Therefore, it is eminently reasonable that Australians receive a share of the benefits of the mining boom. One commentator said this in 2011:

I share the disappointment about how few mining companies contribute to the areas they invade and how little state governments return of the massive royalty incomes they receive to the communities.

They were pretty harsh words, speaking about mining companies 'invading' local communities and not putting anything back. Was it a member of the Greens political party who said that?

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