Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is a debate about nation building, about competing visions for delivering the infrastructure to lead us to a more productive, more liveable and more sustainable future. It is really interesting that the member for Tangney ended by talking about debacles, because 'debacle' sums up beautifully the government's failing in this regard. It is nothing less than a debacle. This debate has demonstrated the intent of government members to add insult to injury. We have heard from the member for Perth about what has happened in WA. we have heard from the member for Newcastle about the neglected infrastructure needs of her community and the wider Hunter. We heard from the member for Franklin about the cruel neglect of Tasmania.

I am going to speak a little bit about the biggest loser in infrastructure, and that is my state of Victoria. It has 25 per cent of Australia's population and it will receive eight per cent of infrastructure investment under this government. This is at a time when Melbourne is growing enormously, as the member for Gellibrand knows, and certainly as I and my friend the member for McEwen know looking at the suburbs that we represent. Melbourne faces enormous challenges in getting the infrastructure mix right, and what do we get from this government? Nothing. It has walked away from any responsibility for urban policy.

As the member for Grayndler pointed out, even though we have paid for it, we still have not seen the State of Australian cities report for last year, a document which should be informing our decision making this year. It is just extraordinary. It is just one example.

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