Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

In 2007 they went to an election promising a referendum. It's been the Liberal Party's policy ever since: 2010; 2013—they were elected; 2016—they were elected; 2019—they were elected. They went to the 2022 election having made provisions in the forward estimates for a referendum, but then, of course, they decided, no, to oppose it. Then they ask questions about the cost!

The Leader of the Opposition in his interjection across the chamber spoke with the sort of arrogance that we're coming to see. He said, 'You'll find out how much it will cost when you're in opposition,' to those here. That's what he said, at the dispatch box as well—100 per cent. They want a 100 per cent increase in cost because they want to hold another one. He just confirmed that across the chamber.

The member for Dawson asked about infrastructure because, there again, they didn't make provision to actually deliver what was needed to fund projects. They had a $33 billion blowout in their infrastructure, unlike the former Labor government, which promised and funded properly the Mackay Ring Road, for example, the Bruce Highway upgrades to the south and the Peak Downs Highway to the west. We funded those things properly. We funded them, we built them, we made a difference and we got it done. Those opposite, of course, were big on promises, but they didn't ever worry about providing the funding to build what they were promising. They just added it on and never did it.

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