Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will you release a full schedule of works for the completion of the Pacific Highway now that your party has promised at two elections to complete the highway by 2016 and it will now appear in the four-year forward estimates in this year's May budget?

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

I thank the member for Lyne for his question and for his commitment to his constituents, and other constituents, who use the Pacific Highway. We already have committed some $4.1 billion to the Pacific Highway. More than 1,600 workers are today working on site building the Pacific Highway. This is vital for productivity. It has been identified by Infrastructure Australia as a priority, but it is also vital for safety. Over the last 20 years some 809 people have lost their lives on the Pacific Highway, which is 809 too many. That is why we on this side of the House are absolutely committed to fulfilling the duplication by 2016, which was first promised by the Howard government in 2004. They promised it but did not put any dollars into it. They contributed $1.3 billion over 12 years and during that time the state government committed $2.5 billion.

At that time—when they were in government—they said the Pacific Highway was a state road. They called upon the New South Wales Labor government to do more. The member for Cowper, for example, said in this place: 'It is a state road. New South Wales refused to commit one extra dollar of state government funding to a road they are responsible for.' The state member for Coffs Harbour, Andrew Fraser, who has had a bit to say—inaccurately—in recent months about funding on the Pacific Highway, said this when he was part of the opposition:

The Pacific Highway is a state road. I pay credit to the federal government for increasing the funding arrangement. I damn and condemn this state government. The state government should pour the money in.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Riverina will be more restrained.

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

But now, when in government, only yesterday Mr Fraser was saying in the New South Wales parliament that they cannot afford to pay their share. We on this side of the House say: let's end the politics with this issue. Let's have 50-50 funding to deliver on the Pacific Highway. Let's see the member for Cowper and the Leader of the National Party talk to their National Party colleagues in New South Wales and get them to deliver on what they say is their joint commitment to fully duplicate the highway by 2016. That is what is required. We need to do more. We accept that that is the case. But it can only be done in partnership with the New South Wales government. That is the way forward and it is the way to ensure that the full duplication can be completed.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The honourable member for Lyne wishes to ask a supplementary question, which I think is the maiden supplementary question from the cross bench. I will listen to the supplementary and consider it.

Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In light of your answer, Minister, and in light of articles in today's paper that an extra $7 billion is needed to fix the highway, and your reluctance in your answer to release a full works schedule, can you guarantee to the House, again, that 2016 remains the completion date, as agreed between the Commonwealth and the state.

Peter Slipper (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

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

I thank the member for Lyne for his question, which goes to the heart of what is required. I wrote to the New South Wales roads minister last month and outlined a full schedule of works that makes it possible for the Pacific Highway to be fully duplicated by 2016. It included a plan for preconstruction and a plan for construction by 2016 of all of the remaining sections which are not duplicated. It is achievable. The New South Wales government say they are committed to it, we say we are committed to it and the opposition say they are committed to it in spite of their interjections. What we need to do is go about this in a bipartisan way, in a way that involves both tiers of government, in a way that does not say funding should be taken off one section of the road and put onto another, and in a way that ensures that the road is fully duplicated. I have written to the New South Wales government. They have the schedule. We are prepared to release the schedule, if you like, but I am waiting for the New South Wales government to get back to us to fulfil their obligations that they committed to prior to their election to Macquarie Street government. Certainly, this government is prepared to work very closely with all members up and down the highway. We have had constructive relationships with the New South Wales Deputy Premier, with the New South Wales roads minister and with you— (Time expired)