Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Minister, I am seeking information, and I hope you will be able to help me. What is the government’s timetable to complete the missing link between the M2 and F3 on the national highway corridor between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane? Is the initial planning grant of $150 million offered by the Commonwealth no longer conditional on a New South Wales contribution of $30 million?

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

I thank the member for his question. Indeed, I can confirm that just last month, in a forum hosted by the member for Bennelong, I met with transport groups in the north-west, including state representatives, Greg Smith, the Mayor of Hornsby and other mayors. At that discussion we certainly confirmed that indeed, as part of this government’s Nation Building Program, we have included the $150 million that we committed during the last campaign to undertake further planning into this link. That is part of the plan that was signed off by us and the New South Wales government in the memorandum of understanding. That plan takes us through to 2014 and is part of the comprehensive $36 billion that we have allocated to road and rail infrastructure projects over that period.

It is interesting that those opposite, who are arguing day after day that we should actually withdraw our spending on infrastructure, when it comes to specific projects in their electorates—whether it is the member for Gippsland, the member for Berowra or other members over there—want to argue that they would actually spend more whilst also arguing that they would withdraw infrastructure spending priorities. I refer the honourable member to the comments of the shadow finance minister, Senator Coonan, when she indicated that we should be looking at the withdrawal of all our road and rail infrastructure projects that are not appropriate to be moving forward. I would ask her whether, were it the case that the honourable gentleman opposite had won the last election, that spending commitment, which is a part of the agreement between the Commonwealth and New South Wales, would be withdrawn.