Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Now that the government has committed to a second Sydney airport, what are the locations that are being considered?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure what portfolio responsibility the member for Greenway has, but I would suggest to her, as a member of the opposition frontbench rather than the opposition backbench, that it is time for the nation to have a sensible long-term debate about Sydney’s long-term airport needs, because that is where—

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Where are they?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is the member for Cook, always out there looking for the populist political point. The member for Cook: friend of Wollongong and friend of the Illawarra!

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It goes to relevance. This is a popular local member who railed against the Brisbane Airport Corporation for 10 years.

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

The member for Dickson will keep moving. He will remove himself from the chamber for one hour under standing order 94(a).

The member for Dickson then left the chamber.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Therefore the nation needs a debate about Sydney’s long-term airport needs.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here they all go, engaging in populist politics rather than looking at the nation’s long-term needs. Could I say to those opposite—

Louise Markus (Greenway, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order going to relevance. The people of Western and Greater Sydney deserve to know which locations the government are considering.

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

The member for Greenway will resume her seat. The Prime Minister is responding to the question.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Greenway said that the people of Western Sydney deserve to know. Could I just say that I understand—I am advised at least—that the opposition confirmed yesterday their support for Badgerys Creek. I would appreciate confirmation from those opposite that that is the case. Perhaps I am misadvised. We believe that what the nation needs is proper deliberation about our long-term infrastructure needs. It will be conducted in a proper public policy format because we are a government that believes in long-term infrastructure planning. Those opposite are interested in purely personal political self-advancement. That is the difference.