Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Member for Gippsland, but I will use my whole 10 minutes because that's my right in this chamber and I'm elected to speak here, so I shall do that.

There is a new approach to the funding and delivery of infrastructure projects by this government. We are not going to pull out the tired, colour coded spreadsheet and deny members of our communities things because they don't have a particular member of government. We saw the pipeline blow out from 150 to 800 projects, but no additional dollars were put towards it. Decisions of the previous government were all pork-barrelling—commuter car parks, sports rorts and the entire list goes on. It was the same strategy over and over again: underfunding, mismanagement, poor delivery. The Inland Rail project is a joke. You ignored the advice on robodebt. You left funding holes across essential public services. So lectures from those opposite about mismanagement are ridiculous, to say the least.

The Albanese government is focused on delivering transformational transport and infrastructure in this country. Our government's investment in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics will leave a legacy for all Australians long after the closing ceremony. The Suburban Rail Loop is a once-in-a-generation infrastructure project which will transform how Victorians move around the state and will reshape the way Victoria grows. We're investing in projects that deliver resilience right across the country, such as sealing the Tanami, which will contribute to flood immunity, among other benefits. The new Richmond Bridge project in New South Wales will improve flood resilience, improve road safety for users and reduce congestion. The Kuranda Range Road upgrade in Queensland will improve road resilience and safety. And it it's not just in the cities; it's right across the country, in our regions, because we know how important they are for our economy.

We are investing in a stronger, more resilient economy, which means more opportunities for business and more opportunities for skills, jobs and infrastructure that will deal with our changing needs. Our government is committing $672.7 million over seven years from 2022-23 and $1.9 billion in equity to implement a number of major enabling public infrastructure projects which will harness competitive advantages while providing diverse and improved employment opportunities across the country. There are investments in marine, logistic and green technologies in Darwin, Alice Springs, the Pilbara and the Port of Bundaberg, and there's $100 million to support the Port of Newcastle and the Hunter region to become hydrogen ready.

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