Jerome Laxale (Bennelong, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Labor budget is delivering significant investments in the infrastructure that links our communities, powers our economy and builds the foundations for a future made in Australia. By funding key infrastructure projects, this budget lays the foundation for better cities and better regions to live in. In my electorate of Bennelong our community is directly benefiting from this well-thought-out and well-funded infrastructure budget. Our community is very excited about the $115 million allocation for an all-electric bus depot in Macquarie Park. The Macquarie Park electric bus depot will be the first purpose-built zero emissions bus depot in the whole of New South Wales. It'll house 165 electric buses and deliver 160 jobs. Electric buses will service our local routes, meaning lower emissions in Bennelong and, importantly, quieter buses in residential areas.

In addition, the government is providing an additional $10 million for the Macquarie Park bus interchange and precinct—something those opposite promised way back in 2017. This was announced by Prime Minister Turnbull. Remember him?

A division having been called in the House of Representatives

Sitting suspended from 17:37 to 17:45

You can't deliver a bus interchange with just a press release; you need funds and hard work. Since coming to government, I've been pushing to get the Macquarie Park bus interchange out of the ground. The additional $10 million provision on top of the $80 million already secured will improve the efficiency and connectivity of our public transport network and create a much-needed public plaza precinct in the centre of Macquarie Park. It does not end there. Over the next five years, the Roads to Recovery funding for councils in Bennelong will total an impressive $24 million. This funding will ensure that our local roads will remain maintained and improved.

But it is not just in Bennelong that our government is deeply committed to delivering infrastructure funding. As a former mayor, I know how much communities rely on programs like Roads to Recovery to help fund local projects. In good news for councils and communities, the Roads to Recovery program will progressively rise from $500 million to $1 billion per year. This means more local road upgrades delivered through local governments right into local communities nationwide. This extra funding will help make our roads safer, fix potholes, build crossings and roundabouts where they are needed.

Speaking of safety, we know how important it is for the federal government to contribute to our Vision Zero goal. We are providing $10.8 million for a one-year national road safety awareness campaign and $21.1 million over four years to improve national road safety data reporting by the National Road Safety Data Hub. These are important investments to help our nation reach its Vision Zero goal of zero road deaths by 2050.

I've got a confession to make: I am a middle-aged man in lycra and I am not ashamed of it; I embrace it. As a proud MAMIL, anything the government can do to make cycling safer should be applauded. I've got news, Deputy Speaker Scymgour. You'll be pleased to know that this budget delivers to MAMILs as well. Labor has established a $100 million new active transport fund, which will help state governments develop and construct new bicycle and shared paths across the country. A safer space to ride will help more people switch to cycling to get around, reduce the pressure on our local roads and promote zero-emissions transport, all while people get a bit of exercise while they get around. The active transport program also includes funding for footpaths and other active transport. Guidelines will be developed in consultation with states and territories and are expected to be made public by 1 July 2025.

While Labor gets on with delivering strong, sustainable and well-planned infrastructure projects for Australia, let's take a second to think anything about what the Liberals and Nationals did during their 10 years of negligence. While those opposite were in government, they inflated the number of projects from 150 to over 800 but they didn't do any work to deliver them. It was mismanagement galore. Many of these projects were plagued by poor planning, inadequate costings and lack of readiness for Commonwealth investment. This was not just incompetence; it was a deliberate strategy. They went to their colour-coded spreadsheet seats, made these announcements, got in the local paper then did not do the work to get them started. They were all announcement, no delivery; all press release, no pavement. But unlike the Liberals, Labor is committed to getting projects out of the ground. (Time expired)

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