Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A little over 2½ hours ago on Channel Nine News in Brisbane, Queensland viewers were informed by reporter Alex Smith that the Rudd government had, to use his words, ‘probably lied’ to the people of the western suburbs in the Ryan electorate. The options were at best ‘misled’ or at worst ‘lied’, to quote Mr Smith. It has come to the attention of Mr Smith, to my attention and to the attention of the constituents of the western suburbs, Brisbane and all of Queensland through freedom of information searches that a little over a few days after Mr Rudd was sworn in as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister, a little over a few days after Mr Albanese was sworn in as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and a little over a few days after the entire Rudd government took over the reins, the honour, the prestige and the privilege of being the custodians of the Australian people’s future there was a meeting held between the Queensland Minister for Transport and the new federal minister for transport that overturned the commitment not to build the Goodna Bypass. All those in the western suburbs would know of the Goodna Bypass. It was a battle royal for me as the sitting local member as I carried the flag for the Howard government and acted in what was deemed to be the interests of the western suburbs and of greater Queensland to construct four bridges across the Brisbane River, including into the Ryan electorate.

I want to outline the timetable that clearly shows the Rudd government and the Labor Party candidate for the Ryan electorate knew full well that there was every prospect of the Goodna Bypass decision being overturned. On 24 November, on election day, the Howard government was defeated and Mr Rudd took the reins of office. On 3 December 2007, Mr Rudd was sworn in as Prime Minister. On 11 December 2007, Mr Albanese wrote to Mr Pitt—this is eight days after the election. On 14 December, Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt met. Mr Albanese offered $200 million to the Queensland government to acquire the Goodna Bypass corridor. On 23 January 2008, senior Main Roads officials briefed the Queensland government and suggested a joint media statement that Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt should issue together, that they hold hands and say, ‘We regret the commitment at the election but now we must have a Goodna Bypass.’ On 30 January 2008, Mr Pitt wrote to Mr Albanese again.

The hollow words of the Labor candidate’s campaign commitment ring loud and clear. The hollow words of Mr Rudd, as the opposition leader and as the man who sought to have the trust of the Australian people to become Prime Minister, ring true. This government’s history of broken promises and of commitments unmet can now clearly be said to be part of its DNA. I have letters and documents galore here from the freedom of information search that was carried out—not by me, not by the opposition, not by an extreme Liberal or an extreme National but by a media commentator, Mr Smith from Channel Nine. Tonight he told the people of Bellbowrie, of Moggill, of Pullenvale, of Chapel Hill and of Kenmore Hills that the commitment to abandon the Goodna Bypass was not worth the words on the piece of paper they were written on. I say very loud and very clear to the people of Ryan that quite clearly the government of Mr Rudd really has lied. I make that grave statement with a heavy heart—

Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: if you are accusing a member of parliament of lying I think it is unparliamentary and I ask you to ask him to withdraw it.

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

The member for Ryan will withdraw.

Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rephrase my words and say that the commitment—

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

The member has to withdraw.

Michael Johnson (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will not withdraw. I decline to withdraw.

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

The member for Ryan really places himself in an invidious position, but on this occasion his time has expired.