Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

) ( ): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will the minister update the House on the Nation Building Program and how the government is delivering on its plans for transport infrastructure?

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

This morning I was with the member for Canberra, the member for Fraser and the member for Eden-Monaro at the beginning of construction of the Majura Parkway, which is the largest ever road project in the ACT. Recommended by Infrastructure Australia it will deliver benefits for the ACT economy of a billion dollars. It is part of the rollout of the Nation Building Program.

Just in the last couple of weeks we have been getting on with the business of governing and opening the southern Sydney freight line to traffic. For 100 years it has been blocked and we have had to stop—indeed there has been a curfew—at Sydney regarding freight line to the port, fixed as a result of our investment. We have confirmed that the widening of the Great Eastern Highway in Perth will open six months ahead of schedule. We have awarded the contract to build the Gosford passing loops as part of the northern Sydney freight corridor upgrade. Last Friday I was with the member for Perth at the WA Gateway project. It is a billion dollar project and the biggest road project ever in WA. We have put funding towards the planning in the Prime Minister's electorate of the western interstate freight terminal that has the potential to take 700,000 trucks off the streets of Melbourne.

We have opened the new heavy vehicle regulator office in Brisbane. We have opened the new rail safety regulator office in Adelaide. As a result of those programs, the national transport regulators will deliver $30 billion benefit to the national economy over 20 years. We have gone to the electorate of the member for Gellibrand to look at the regional rail link—the bridge over the Maribyrnong River and the work that is taking place there—which is the largest ever investment by any federal government in any public transport project in Australia's history. We have been getting on with the job of identifying the big infrastructure projects that are required to build productivity, support jobs, deal with issues such as urban congestion and we are making sure that they are properly funded with proper time lines so that they can keep our economy strong into the future.

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. The minister has talked about the government's Nation Building Program. How does this compare with other proposals for infrastructure?

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

I thank the member for Canberra for her question. Whilst we have been getting on with properly costed proposals with proper time lines and actually beginning infrastructure development in roads, rail, ports, as well as the NBN rollout, what we have seen in recent times is not quite that.

The Leader of the Opposition went along to Tasmania last week promising $400 million, a repeat of the promise in 2010 for the Midland Highway. He could not even name the highway correctly, but it is a $3 billion project. So, he said there was $400 million set aside—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: I refer you to page 569 of House of Representatives Practice, where it is pointed out that the practice of referring in detail to opposition policies has been ruled out of order. Indeed, you have previously withdrawn the call from the minister. I would ask that if he continues you withdraw the call from him.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister has the call.

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

I can understand the embarrassment, because the opposition leader said that the funds had come from the AusLink program, which has not existed for five years—so, $400 million for a $3 billion project from a funding program that simply does not exist. But, then again, he went to the member for Cowper's electorate and said he was going to fund the Coffs Harbour bypass, and the member for Cowper had to ring up the local media and say, 'Only joking; he didn't really mean it,' because it was not part of the program.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Seniors) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a further point of order: he is continuing to act—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mackellar will resume her seat. The minister has the call and will conclude his answer.

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

I can understand the embarrassment, but what we have here is fully funded, properly time lined infrastructure projects on this side of the House; on the other side, a grab bag of vague promises with no time lines and no funding for them. I can understand why they are so embarrassed about having a real policy debate about Australia's future. (Time expired)