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

I thank the member for Solomon for his question—indeed, I do. The Northern Territory is a vital part of the infrastructure component of the budget. I speak to members in the Northern Territory all the time, whether it's Lia Finnochiaro, the leader of the CLP in that great territory, or indeed Michael Gunner or Eva Lawler. I speak to them and I acknowledge the role that they play in wanting to build, needing to build, demanding to build, expecting to build and deserving to have the infrastructure that we are rolling out right across the nation. But, as I told the member for Ballarat in answer to her question, there is no cut to infrastructure spending. We are getting on with delivery, whether it's in the Northern Territory or anywhere else across this land.

Overall infrastructure funding has increased over the forward estimates and has increased since the last budget—which was just in October last year—from $60 billion over the four years from 2020-21 to $70 billion over the four years from 2021-22. Now, $70 billion is a higher number than $60 billion; I will just put that out there. The 2021-22 budget includes—

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