Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on road projects in Western Australia, including the Gateway WA project in my electorate of Swan?

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Swan for asking such an important question about roads in Western Australia. Of course, whereas the other side proposes to fund roads with a mining tax that does not raise any money, we have fully funded and fully budgeted projects that will make a real difference to Western Australia. Included amongst them is a $686 million commitment to the Gateway WA project in Perth. A real welcome to the state of Western Australia which will demonstrate what a significant state this is; a state that is able to contribute mightily to our nation's prosperity.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker I rise on a point of order, on relevance. The minister was asked about a new project. This is a project that I turned the sod on, that is under construction and is fully funded.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. That is a political debating point, not a point of order. I call the minister.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reality is that certainly the minister had some photo opportunities around this project, but he never produced any money. It was going to be funded from the mining tax. The mining tax that could not even build a footpath, let alone the Gateway project in Western Australia! But that is not all: we have a $615 million commitment to the Swan Valley bypass—another project that Labor thought it might fund through the proceeds of its mining tax. But what is more, Labor only promised 50 per cent of the cost of that project. They were determined to short-sheet the Western Australian government and provide only half of the money—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will remove himself under 94(a).

The member for Grayndler then left the chamber.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that was required to get that project underway. We have added $197 million and therefore will guarantee that this project will actually happen.

There is $146 million to the Tonkin Highway, $307 million for the Great Northern Highway, $174 million for the North West Coastal Highway, $59 million for the Leach Highway and $42 million for the Great Eastern Highway, and the list goes on. There are $3.8 billion worth of commitments to Western Australia, all fully funded and fully budgeted.

Labor, of course, also promised a number of projects—plenty of pictures—but over half of the money that they intended to supply for these projects came from the mining tax. A mining tax that has done real damage to the Western Australian economy but not raised real money. Therefore, Labor's promises were empty. They were a vacuum.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the member for Gorton wishes to join the member for Grayndler he will keep it up.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They were essentially picture opportunities, but there was no money there to actually deliver. If the people of Western Australia want these projects delivered, there is only one way for that to happen and that is to make sure that we have a coalition government in Canberra and one that has a majority in the Senate so that these projects can be delivered.