Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities) Share this | Hansard source

And, of course, there is a commitment to rail, a joint commitment by the Australian government and the New South Wales government to stage 1 of the north-south rail to run from St Marys to the Badgerys Creek aerotropolis, via Western Sydney Airport, and with a joint objective to have rail connected to Western Sydney Airport in time for its opening. And the third pillar is generating jobs in Western Sydney. At Western Sydney Airport itself, there will be 13,000 jobs by 2031. Then there is the aerotropolis, an urban area near the airport which will become Western Sydney's advanced manufacturing, research, medical, education and commercial hub. We're going to drive investment and attract high-value jobs. There are many other elements to the Western Sydney City Deal, including a $150 million liveability program.

This is a clear plan for Western Sydney across three levels of government. But I'm asked, 'Are there other approaches?' Of course, there's Labor's 2015 plan, under which they were going to deliver 14 kilometres of rail, from Leppington to the airport, for $400 million. It's a miracle! Fourteen kilometres of heavy rail for $400 million. That shows a complete lack of understanding of how much heavy rail costs. Then we had the New South Wales Leader of the Opposition, Luke Foley, say, after the City Deal was announced, that a state Labor government would deliver the rail link faster. New South Wales Labor is claiming they would deliver a rail link faster than the coalition!

This is the same New South Wales Labor that was in power from 1995 to 2001. They announced 12 separate rail projects. They delivered exactly half. We never saw the Bondi Beach rail line. We never saw high-speed rail from to Sutherland to Wollongong. We never saw the CBD to Rozelle metro. Labor has a hopeless record of delivery. We've got a plan for Western Sydney. (Time expired)

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