Mike Freelander (Macarthur, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, the government would, particularly in respect of rail and public transport—it would be playing catch up. But at last we will be moving beyond the realms of endless announcements and re-announcements about the next study, or the next scoping study or indicative planning. The hope was that we would finally be seeing some action.

Such action was not only overdue but desperately needed to boost economic activity and to deal with what for too long has been euphemistically described as 'spare' or 'excess' capacity in our economy. For 'spare or excess capacity' read 'entrenched and unacceptably high levels of unemployment and underemployment'.

Whilst the Australian economy has continued to grow, notwithstanding the end of the mining boom, unemployment and underemployment rates have remained above those recorded during even the GFC. It is now widely agreed that Australia will soon need another economic stimulus as post-GFC investment in the property sector winds down. We are already seeing a slide in both retail sales and building commencements.

The time to act is now, not when the rot has well and truly set in. Much could be done by simply ramping up existing projects and giving them a kick along, such as some in my electorate of Macarthur. We already have proposals such as the rebuilding of Appin Road and the rail line to the Badgerys Creek airport that could be fast tracked, as well as the north to South West Sydney rail line.

At the last election, both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party committed $50 million to begin the upgrade of Appin Road. Labor had a proper funding proposal with proper plans for this very vital piece of infrastructure—almost 30 people have died on that road in the last 15 years. While Labor's funding specified the building of a dual carriageway, the government's funding was very vague and came with no specifications.

In the budget this year the $50 million has shrunk to $5 million—what for, we do not know—which will not even get the project started. And then we have the rail line to Badgery's Creek airport. The minister, Mr Fletcher, talks about Western Sydney Airport. Every transport expert that I speak to says it must open with a rail line there when the first plane lands. We want a train to meet our plane. But nothing from this government. It really beggars belief that they would even consider having the Western Sydney Airport without proper transport infrastructure. It remains unclear to me why the government refuses to have a train line built in. But that is this government: it talks but it does not act.

In addition, not only would the north-south rail line take people from western and south-western Sydney to and from the airport; it would be totally life-changing for the more than two million people who live in Western Sydney. It would provide jobs, it would stimulate business and it would truly be an act of nation-building.

There is scope for some modest projects. The southern rail corridor from Sydney, through Campbelltown and Goulburn, to Canberra could be improved dramatically at very little expense. The member for Fenner and the ACT Chief Minister have highlighted an option for enhancing rail services that would almost halve the travel time. The Spanish company involved in that project has offered to bring some of its rail infrastructure over here free of charge and show us how it could be done.

The government does not talk much about unemployment, and you need look no further than the budget papers to see why. Despite talking a lot about mutual obligation this government has put in place precious little infrastructure in social security. They talk about a 'pee for the dole' program—an attempt at blaming people without putting anything in place to help them. This government has no vision. It is interested in pork-barrelling projects and has been very destructive of social infrastructure—such as the Australian veterinary medicines laboratory, which is being destroyed. Our medical infrastructure is also deteriorating, with increasing hospital waiting times. (Time expired)

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