Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I learnt one thing. I learnt that one of the biggest forms of infrastructure that was important for regional Australia was the Regional Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund, and I remember sitting there while the member for Grayndler and others removed that and turned it into a $900 cash splash in 2008. It disappeared. There was not one mobile phone tower in two terms of government. I sat here in this place as I watched members spend money on infrastructure in schools—school halls that didn't fit the schools—

Opposition members interjecting—

I'm certainly against the spending of money that is not value for money. The member for Shortland talked about the time of rolling things out. It's because the coalition government does look at responsible spending of taxpayers' funds, not just rolling them out. But, if you want to have a look at real expenditure, have a look at the inland rail. The member for Grayndler spoke about it a lot. You can look at it now: there are railway lines lying along the side of the track, they are driving pegs into the ground and there is work.

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