Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Will the minister inform the House about the government’s plan to support growth in the rail industry and about any risks to this plan?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Blair for his question and his ongoing interest in infrastructure issues. We do indeed face huge transport challenges in this country: a freight task that will double over the next decade, congestion costs that are increasing and greenhouse emissions that are growing. We need a comprehensive plan to tackle these challenges, and rail must be a part of the solution.

Last night I attended the Australasian Railway Association dinner. It was a great night, and I congratulate the industry on their presentation on the state of rail and its future challenges. I was pleased to see so many of my parliamentary colleagues there. Indeed, there were more than 30 members of the coalition there last night to hear the presentation about rail. That is almost half the party room. The member for Wentworth, unfortunately, was not there, but perhaps he should have been—to talk to his caucus colleagues. He did not have to resign from the economics committee to get extra time to talk to his caucus colleagues; he could just go to more functions on a Wednesday night. From their attendance last night, you would think that the coalition had a great interest in rail. But look at the legacy that we have inherited. The rail share of the freight market—

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The minister was asked a question by his own side about his own plans. He is not answering his own question about his own plans.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am sure that the minister is going to use his answer to talk about plans for rail.

Opposition Member:

Do you have any plans for rail?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely. And I am talking about not just our plans but also the risk to our plans, which was part of the question. But at least they got the right question; that was better than the deputy leader the other day. At least they are somewhat on track.

The fact is that we inherited a real problem with the industry. The rail share of the freight market has fallen in every single corridor on the east coast. Trains spend up to 10 hours sitting in Sydney because there are no dedicated freight lines—none. That is their record. But worse than all their neglect in the past is their attitude towards the future. We have built a surplus with a purpose. We have put $20 billion into the Building Australia Fund. It will invest in infrastructure to lock in our future prosperity. Part of that has to be about our rail future. Yet, while we listened and ate last night, they were planning to starve the industry of funds by blocking budget measures. Every cent that they knock off the surplus is money that cannot be used to clear rail bottlenecks in Sydney.

Every time that they vote no in the Senate, they are saying no to providing solutions to deal with traffic congestion in our major cities. Every time they block a budget measure, that is less funds to deal with public transport. We know that they do not believe in public transport, but we on this side do. They should pass our budget to make sure that these funds can be available for long-term infrastructure spending. That is why they should pass our budget. It is not good enough to just go along to dinners on a Wednesday night in Canberra because you have nothing to do; you actually have to front up to the policy challenges. They left a dreadful legacy when it comes to rail. This government is committed to turning that around, and we want the opportunity to have our Building Australia Fund left intact so that it can be spent on long-term infrastructure.