Stephen Jones (Throsby, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I would yield but they never ask the right question. On that basis I will continue. The Melbourne Metro project, which Infrastructure Australia has reported could increase passenger capacity on Melbourne's urban rail network by 30 per cent, has had its funding withdrawn.

Then there is the Perth Airport link. I see the member for Perth in the chamber at the moment. I have seen her speak quite passionately about this issue. She is a passionate advocate for infrastructure in her electorate and has a long history in urban rail and transport in her former role in the Western Australian state parliament. Then we look to the upgrade of Adelaide's Tonsley Park rail line, another project the government has withdrawn funding from. Prime Minister Abbott is on the record as having said:

We have no history of funding urban rail and I think it's important that we stick to our knitting, and the Commonwealth's knitting when it comes to funding infrastructure is roads.

We on this side of the House disagree with that. We on this side of the House understand that urban public transport infrastructure has to be integrated, and when you put more cars on roads that has a flow-on effect on congestion. We understand that we need an integrated plan for our urban public transport and that the Commonwealth has to work with state and local governments to ensure that our cities are fit-for-purpose when it comes to meeting the infrastructure challenges now and into the future.

We have seen some disappointing starts with the Abbott government when it comes to infrastructure planning and infrastructure funding. It is on this basis that Labor will be opposing the proposition before the House. We think it is a fig leaf; it is unnecessary and it reduces the independence of IA. (Time expired)

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