Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to speak on the Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Cost Benefit Analysis and Other Measures) Bill, which is important to constituents Australia-wide who seek to progress the expansion of infrastructure to underpin the development of Australia in the 21st century. We all have visions—for our cities, for our communities and regions, and indeed for Northern Australia—for developing potential, and a critical factor underpinning the realisation of the vision is the development of good, solid, productive, sustainable infrastructure.

The 2014 Infrastructure Australia amendment bill will amend the 2008 act to clarify legislative and administrative arrangements for Infrastructure Australia—established under the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 and which came into effect on 9 April 2008. The amendments will essentially clarify the role of Infrastructure Australia in assessing projects of over $100 million. It is seeking to include a qualification to include proposals that are seeking Commonwealth funding of $50 million dollars toward the total estimated capital expenditure, or in relation to other proposals as determined by the minister responsible for infrastructure. The amendment will ensure that Infrastructure Australia has the function of evaluating cost-benefit analyses as part of its broader evaluation function. In addition, the amendment will also include a definition for 'proposal', obviously providing clarity for all.

The government is committed to Building Better Infrastructure—the infrastructure for the 21st century. It is part of our economic action strategy to build a strong and prosperous economy that will boost jobs and liveability for our children's' children. The budget has laid out a $50 billion dollar infrastructure investment program, for development of essential infrastructure in rural, remote, regional and urban Australia—we need roads and bridges, rails and ports to underpin development and growth and to realise prosperity well into the future. Transport challenges had been looming for some time under the previous government.

Our government's policy agenda will: target investment in productive infrastructure; seek to complete jobs faster; partner with state governments; and leverage more private investor funding. We are already witnessing investment in better roads and I am pleased for my electorate of Durack to see the following infrastructure commitments: North West Coastal Highway, Minilya to Barradale section—$174 million for upgrades; Great Northern Highway, Waddington to Walebing section—$74.7 million for upgrades; and the Great Northern Highway upgrade at Port Hedland—works are completed on the $260 million section.

Notwithstanding current commitments to fund the economic artery of Australia—otherwise known as the Great Northern Highway, which links Perth, the ports and the Pilbara—the artery needs further attention.

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