Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

It's a once-in-a-generation opportunity: a $5 billion investment. There's $3 billion worth of enabling supporting infrastructure, including roads. During the construction period, there are going to be 11,000 jobs created, and, once the airport is completed, 28,000 direct and indirect jobs created from this piece of nation-building infrastructure. The Prime Minister knows how important it is. He turned the first sod for the Western Sydney Airport in September.

When we, as Liberals and Nationals, say that we're going to do something—do you know what?—we get on and we do it. When we say we're going to lower taxes for small and medium-sized and family enterprise businesses, we do it. We don't just say it; we do it. We live by our credo—we get on and we do it. When we say we're going to help small and family enterprises, and big businesses too, create a million jobs in five years—do you know what?—we do it. We don't just say it; we do it. When we say we're going to lower taxes, we don't just say it; we do it.

Western Sydney Airport is not Sydney's second airport; it's Western Sydney's first airport. And it is going to create so much hope and opportunity and enterprise in Western Sydney. The member for Reid knows full well how many jobs and opportunities this is going to create. This 24-hour airport is going to create 24 hours of jobs, 24 hours of enterprise, 24 hours of industrious activity in Western Sydney. I'm sure that those opposite who represent that Western Sydney Airport area are going to be cheering this home too, as well they should. The member for Lindsay, the member for Macquarie and the member for Chifley know how many jobs and opportunities this is going to create.

We're getting on with building the infrastructure that Australians want, need, expect and deserve. Just last week, I was in the member for Parkes's electorate talking to people about inland rail—the Inland Rail, a 1,700-kilometre corridor of commerce. The first plans for inland rail were drawn up in 1905—

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