Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Petrie for his question. I thank the member for Petrie for his tenacity in seeking and gaining the call. But, more importantly, I thank him for his strong work as an advocate for the people of Petrie. He never stops engaging with his constituents in the suburbs of North Lakes, Mango Hill and Rothwell. He is doing street stalls. He is in the coffee shops. He is working hard. I was very pleased to visit the member recently for the unveiling of the Mango Hill Station as part of the new Moreton Bay Rail Link. I was pleased, with the member, to speak with the Mango Hill Progress Association. What could be a stronger piece of evidence of progress in Mango Hill than the work which is occurring on this 14-kilometre new double track passenger rail line from Kippa-Ring to Lawton? Six stations are now practically complete, including Murrumba Downs, Mango Hill, Mango Hill East and several other stations. This is a significant achievement.

Mr Speaker, I do want to correct the record on something that was said incorrectly and inaccurately by the member for Grayndler before you asked him to leave. The reality of the figures is that $64.6 million was paid for this project prior to September 2013, but the total funding from the Commonwealth is $583 million. So far the Abbott and Turnbull governments have paid $368.4 million and we will pay a further $150 million. The former Labor member for Petrie, quite misleadingly, was telling people in the last election campaign that this link would not be built if the coalition came to power. She was quite wrong.

Of course, we have the member for Grayndler, who really is likely the Pete Best of the parliament. In everything that comes up he says, 'I was there. I was in Hamburg drumming away. I am really part of the Beatles. I am really one of the big performers here.' This is the man who claims he was responsible for the building of the pyramids, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the palace of Versailles. I think he had a bit to do with the Taj Mahal. Albo is partly responsible for Mount Rushmore, apparently, and he claimed credit for the Trans-Siberian Railway. What about the Three Gorges Dam—why has Albo not been properly acknowledged for his role in the Three Gorges Dam?

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