Kirsten Livermore (Capricornia, 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 update the House on the government’s nation-building plans, and are there any obstacles to implementing these plans?

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

I thank the member for Capricornia for her question. This is a government that believes in nation building. That is why we brought forward $560 million in our first budget to bring forward 30 separate road projects. That is why we have established the Community Infrastructure Fund, with $800 million in it, to create jobs and stimulate local economies around the nation. That is why in December we delivered a $4.7 billion nation-building package, including $1.2 billion for 17 rail projects and $711 million to bring forward national road projects. That is why we doubled the funding for the Black Spot Program. In February, of course, we brought forward the Nation Building and Jobs Plan—some $42 billion.

The Leader of the Opposition says, ‘We believe in investment in infrastructure.’ That is what they say. But you have to look at what they actually do, not what they say. While Malcolm thinks he is in the middle, he is really just in a muddle. When you look at each of—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It has become a habit, obviously, in this question time for ministers to refer to members of the opposition by their Christian names. It is provocative—

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

The member for Sturt will resume his seat. The Leader of the House will refer to members by their parliamentary titles.

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

I will. But the Leader of the Opposition is indeed in a muddle, because he says that he supports pension increases but then he says that they are bad, that they should not have happened. He says that he opposes Work Choices but then, even today, we cannot get a decision on whether the opposition will vote for or against the legislation. He says that he is in favour of infrastructure and nation building. Well, every chance that he gets, he votes against it. He voted against the $14.7 billion to modernise our schools. He voted against the $6.4 billion on public and community housing. He voted against the $800 million for community infrastructure. He voted against $150 million for boom gates on rail crossings. He voted against $150 million extra for road maintenance. He voted against $90 million extra for black spots. The opposition voted against the legislation to establish the three nation-building funds, with $26 billion in them. During the Senate vote, of course, we witnessed some splitting and voting three ways, perhaps a precursor of things to come on the Work Choices legislation. The opposition split three ways. Some voted in favour, some voted against and some just had a dunny break—could not be bothered voting at all. But we should not be surprised, because, if we look at what they actually did in office, in road funding they slashed it, in their last year in office, from $4.3 billion to $2.8 billion.

But I am pleased to say that we are getting on with the job of nation building, and now every state and territory government has signed up to the $26.4 billion nation-building plan. Queensland, because of the caretaker period, are not able to sign at this stage, but the Queensland government have said that they will sign. The opposition leader up in Queensland, last Tuesday, said that he would sign up to the Rudd government’s offer of a $6.5 billion road and rail package for Queensland. I thought, ‘There’s an opposition leader who actually understands nation building.’ But the commitment only lasted two days, because two days later, on the Thursday, whether at the suggestion of the federal Leader of the Opposition or the Queensland Liberals or Nationals or Liberal-Nationals—whatever they are here in Canberra—he decided that they wanted the same deal that they were offered by the Howard government. Well, I have got news for Mr Springborg, because the deal that we are offering Queensland is double what was offered by the Howard government under AusLink over the same period of time. If you compare the nation-building program with AusLink, we have doubled the funding. It does say something quite extraordinary that you have an opposition leader campaigning in the Queensland election who is actually asking for less money from the Commonwealth.

We will get on with the job of nation building. Those opposite, when it comes to infrastructure, have no idea. We are building pipelines; they just offer pipe dreams. They do not believe in nation building; they do not believe in infrastructure. All you have to do is look at their voting pattern to see that that is the case.