Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to start my contribution to this debate by congratulating the former minister for infrastructure, Mr Anthony Albanese, on the work that he has done to bring the NorthConnex project to fruition. I would also like to thank the member for Berowra for his advocacy to the O'Farrell government in managing to get them to sign up to this project back on 21 June last year. I know he has been a long supporter of the project just as I have been a long supporter of this project, because it really benefits the people that I represent in Lake Macquarie and on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

I would particularly like to draw the House's attention to the amendment that was moved by the shadow minister in which he mentions the $450 million that was committed in June 2013 and the simple fact that the former government committed to building the M1-M2 link. I also note the amendment to point (c), that the former government included the full funding for the federal project in the 2013 budget. So this project was fully funded under Labor. It was committed to under Labor and, as much as I hate to say it, this is one thing that the former Howard government avoided. I am really pleased that the Abbott government has made a commitment to backing Labor to the line. I was really confused last week when I saw the announcement of this project, because it had already been announced. The funding had already been committed. As I considered the issue, I realised that the only new thing about the announcement of NorthConnex was the sign that was present at the announcement.

At a time when Infrastructure Australia is being undermined by the current government, at a time when decisions relating to infrastructure are going to be delegated to a committee—despite the fact that we have a Prime Minister who says he wishes to be known as the infrastructure Prime Minister—I am really pleased to see a project as vital as this being funded and committed to by the Abbott government. I know the member for Berowra has been an advocate of it for a long time. I give him credit for that and I give him credit for being able to get his Prime Minister to follow up on the commitment the Labor government made under the former infrastructure minister, now the shadow infrastructure minister.

I find it interesting that, all of a sudden, we have Abbott government ministers going out and having photo ops at the sites of projects fully funded and built by the previous Labor government. The Hunter Expressway is an example. The member for Hunter put so much effort into seeing it was delivered. On Friday, it was 'interesting' to see ministers of the Abbott government up there taking credit for something that Labor funded and that the member for Hunter fought for. It is similar to this case. With a project of vital importance to the people I represent in this parliament and of vital importance to the city of Sydney, we have the Abbott government standing up and taking credit for something in which they are only following Labor. Congratulations, shadow minister, for the work you did while you were minister. This will really benefit the people of my electorate. (Time expired)

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