Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Do you want to hear the figures? Those opposite have got up and talked about the importance of infrastructure to a regional centre's or a suburban centre's prosperity, to its economic future, to its—

Government members interjecting—

You have talked about the importance of infrastructure investment to an area's prosperity and its future, yet for some reason Canberra is just one big blind spot. This is your nation's capital. This is a population of 415,000 and growing. It's a population that—

A government member interjecting—

So, because it's the most highly educated population and because of the average income, we shouldn't get investment? Do you want to hear the investment figures, or the lack thereof? Do you want to hear about the complete disdain that those opposite have for our nation's capital? The fact that we're getting lip from that side—

A government member interjecting—

What? So these people here, these Canberrans, all have two heads, do they? They all have two heads, they earn too much money and they're too well educated. So all of you up here do not deserve any investment in infrastructure according to those opposite. Do you want to hear the figures?

A government member interjecting—

You're going on about how fantastic it is, a $75 billion investment in infrastructure. You're high-fiving—how fantastic it is! Do you know how much Canberra got in the last budget? We got 0.2 per cent of the national infrastructure investment last budget. As you can see, Canberrans are doing handstands down Northbourne Avenue as a result of that investment!

This is what those opposite think about our nation's capital. This is what they think about the people who live in our nation's capital, what they think about our public servants, our servants of democracy, who are actually serving their government. This is what those opposite think about you, Canberra. This is what the Morrison government, formerly the Turnbull government, formerly the Abbott government, think about you: in this budget 0.2 per cent of the national infrastructure investment and in the last budget the princely sum of 0.004 per cent of the investment in infrastructure.

We have everyone in the chamber very much face-down now, looking at their emails—

A government member interjecting—

What was that? A bit more investment than 0.2 per cent of infrastructure investment would be greatly appreciated, and bit more than 0.004 per cent. Essentially, what those opposite have said—and I'm looking forward to sharing this with Zed Seselja—is that Canberrans are too highly educated, they earn too much money, and essentially everyone here has two heads; therefore we are not worthy. In 2018 the nation's capital has a population of 415,000 and services a capital region of about 800,000. Those opposite basically don't think that you are worthy of infrastructure investment. The figures that we had from the budgets this year and last year underscore that. There was a $75 billion investment in infrastructure, and Canberra got 0.2 per cent this year and 0.004 per cent last year.

In the short time I have available, in defending my community from the disdain and contempt of those opposite, I'll point out that in 1996 we saw this community absolutely decimated—15,000 Public Service jobs gone. Under you lot we've lost 10,000 and we're still counting. You have nothing but complete disdain, scorn and contempt for our nation's capital and the people of Canberra. It is a community that serves your government. They are proud to serve your government and they do it professionally, willingly and with loyalty. How do you repay them? You repay them with complete and utter contempt and disdain.

Because you're too educated and because you earn too much money, you're not going to get any infrastructure investment, Canberra, even though you are our nation's capital. That's what those opposite think of you—0.2 per cent of infrastructure investment in the budget this year and 0.004 per cent last year. It absolutely underscores the contempt and disdain the Liberals have for our nation's capital.

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