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

I move:

I move this amendment to put some facts into the motion that was moved by the member for Berowra. He is of course the Father of the House, having been here longer than any other member of parliament, but shows himself in this motion to be the Rip Van Winkle of Australian politics. He slept through the 12 years of the Howard government, when there was no progress on this vital link in Sydney, and slept through the former, Labor government finalising the agreement between the New South Wales government, the federal government and Transurban to make sure this project became a reality.

We did that by including in our earlier budgets $150 million towards the project. There was $150 million for planning, a fact acknowledged by Mr Ruddock, the member for Berowra, when he raised these issues in parliament as far back as in 2009. But he knows that the Howard government talked a lot about infrastructure but did not do anything about it. Their total contribution to infrastructure investment in Sydney was $300 million during 12 long years of neglect.

It is no wonder that that sort of record led Australia to be ranked 20th out of 25 countries in the OECD for investment in infrastructure in 2007, when I was sworn in as the minister for infrastructure. We know that today Australia is ranked first—first in 2012, first in 2011—amongst all the industrialised countries, and that was recognised globally. It is also recognised by the commitments that we made in government, including finalising the agreement. On 21 June of last year, I signed the final intergovernmental agreement between the Australian government and the New South Wales government on the F3 to M2 link. There was evidence of it—

Mr Albanese holding up pictures—

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The use of props—

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

in the party room of the coalition, in Macquarie Street in Sydney. You can see it there on this picture, Mr Deputy Speaker, with former premiers Nick Greiner and John Fahey in the background. There were TV cameras there that day; there was a media conference. But the member for Berowra and other members of the Abbott government like to pretend—a bit like after the French Revolution, when 1792 was designated year 1—that history began in September last year.

It is as if it were the beginning of year 1 in September last year, because we met with Transurban. I met with the Transurban board. Indeed, I also met with the member for Berowra, and I am surprised by how political he has been with this motion that he is moving, pretending that history began in September last year. I met with him, and I acknowledge the fact that he has been a supporter of this project for a long time. The problem is that he could never actually deliver it despite being a senior cabinet minister in the Howard government during those 12 long years.

Indeed, the funding commenced as a result of the signing of the intergovernmental agreement on 21 June. The funding commenced in the 2012-13 financial year, so this is the second year of funding that we are seeing right now. Why is that the case? Because this is a great project. It is a great project that will eliminate 21 sets of traffic lights between the Central Coast and the city of Sydney. It is great news for road freight operators and for commuters. It is nation building in the grand Labor tradition, and I am very pleased that that agreement was delivered on the watch of the federal Labor government, in the fine tradition which the federal Labor Party has.

Of course, they have changed the name to NorthConnex, but it is exactly the same project that was signed off last March, involving the same amount of money, the same deal with the state government: $405 million from each level of government. And yet the original motion that was before the House laughingly purported to suggest that this was fulfilling the promise that the now government took to the people at the last federal election. I say to the member for Berowra: it was deal done, game over, delivered, on 21 June 2013. Indeed, in the second year of funding flowing from the Commonwealth government for this project, it is quite remarkable to suggest that this was the beginning of the project. But of course—

A government member interjecting—

Well, the clown opposite does not understand that—

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Withdraw that.

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

I withdraw. He does not understand the fact that there was $405 million fully allocated—the department will know that that is the case; indeed, I in good faith sat down with the member for Berowra in my office and got him, along with others, to lobby the New South Wales government to make sure that they put up their fair share—just as the $195 million allocated for the upgrade of projects for the F3, fully allocated in the Nation Building Program, was also included in the 2013 budget. Indeed, when we made the budget, we took $5 million of savings to change it from $400 million to $405 million as a result of a request from Minister Gay, in New South Wales, to make sure that we had $5 million in 2012-13.

But it is not surprising that those opposite are embarrassed by their performance when it comes to infrastructure. Today we have The Daily Telegraph splash on page 1 that they are setting up a committee to look at infrastructure. They are setting up a committee, but that gets a splash, because of course they have form on this. Not only did they leave Australia ranked 20th out of 25 countries in the OECD, but the last time they were in office they cut $2 billion in road funding from their first budget. Public investment in infrastructure as a proportion of national income plunged 20 per cent from the level it was in the Keating era.

This is a vital project for Sydney. It is a vital project that I was very pleased to support, and of course it was included in the budget papers along with the Cross River Rail and the Melbourne Metro because it was also a part of the innovative package that we had in making sure that we had private sector financing for this project. We sat down and organised matters to ensure that we promoted not just government investment but private sector investment in infrastructure.

Those opposite talked about it and did nothing about it when they were in government last time. They have contributed absolutely nothing, except a press conference. That is their contribution this time around. Rip Van Winkle over there slept through the Howard government and continues to ensure they try to evade debate on this issue. I commend the amendment to the House.

Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order. The member opposite has used unparliamentary terms, and I notice colleagues have used the same terms. I ask him to withdraw.

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

There was nothing unparliamentary.

Honourable members interjecting—

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask the member for Grayndler to withdraw to assist the House.

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

No, I said nothing unparliamentary.

Honourable members interjecting—

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I commend the government for the announcement of the M1-M2 Link, or NorthConnex, as it is now known. I also commend the member for Berowra for moving this motion. It is a great example of the coalition fulfilling a promise we took to the people of the Central Coast at the last federal election, and it is part of our nationwide major roads blueprint.

Lend Lease and Bouygues, who are joining forces with Transurban, are partnering with the New South Wales and federal governments to deliver some of Australia's biggest transport and infrastructure projects, which will deliver real benefits for the people of the Central Coast and for the people of New South Wales. The federal and New South Wales governments will each contribute $405 million toward the $3 billion project.

As a candidate for the seat of Robertson at the 2013 federal election, I fought alongside Karen McNamara, now the member for Dobell, along with other Coalition MPs, in the Missing Link Action Network. I have used the F3, now called the Ml, for many years, including to commute to work on a daily basis. I have experienced the delays and frustrations of congestion, traffic lights and queuing to get to the city. It can be a tough commute. The day begins before the sun rises with the winding drive up Kariong Hill, and ends after dark, often after family dinner time and sometimes after the kids have gone to bed. It has an impact after a while. Although I am privileged to live and work locally now, my husband Chris still heads to Mascot every working day, and he reminds me often of the need to cut travel times to Sydney from the ever-growing region of the Central Coast. It is for these and many other reasons that the M1-M2 missing link has the potential to be the single most important road connection for the people of Robertson.

It has been talked about for decades. But taxpayers just want government to get on with building the transport networks our nation so desperately needs. Under the former Labor government, projects were often announced—and we heard a little bit about this earlier—but Labor has a strong track record of announcing projects but not actually delivering them. Unlike the former Labor government, we will deliver on our promises instead of just talking about them.

NorthConnex will be one of the roads of the 21st century that shows why infrastructure will be a hallmark of this coalition government. The Prime Minister said that as a government we are working with every fibre of our being, every waking moment, to try to ensure we build the infrastructure that Australia needs. This is a concrete step towards building this missing link.

We can now say that NorthConnex is expected to be completed in 2019, with construction on the project to begin next year. NorthConnex will include the construction of a nine-kilometre-long twin tunnel connecting the M1 and M2. It will be a tolled motorway linking the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga to the Hills M2 Motorway at West Pennant Hills. As part of the future-proofing of NorthConnex, the motorway will also be designed and constructed to allow direct connections to be built to the M2 east and to enable a move to three lanes each way in the future if required. Based on forecast traffic figures, I understand these connections may not be required for a few years, but it shows just how this project will deliver for the future.

Crucially, the tunnel is expected to remove up to 5,000 trucks off Sydney's roads. One of these roads is Pennant Hills Road—not an artery in my electorate, but one that is well known to all commuters from the coast. It is consistently slow and heavily trafficked. Over 10,000 trucks each day are forced onto Pennant Hills Road due to the absence of a motorway-grade link. NorthConnex changes all that. This project boosts the efficacy of freight movements and improves safety, air quality and noise levels for residents and businesses impacted by this corridor.

NorthConnex will make it possible for commuters and freight trucks to bypass more than 20 sets of traffic lights. It will also give vehicles travelling by road from Newcastle to Canberra and Melbourne the ability to reach their destinations without encountering a single traffic light. For the people of the Central Coast, this will mean shorter commuting times of up to 15 minutes. This will bring real relief for the thousands of families in my electorate. With more than 30,000 local residents leaving the Central Coast every day for work, that is 15 minutes each way that has a daily and direct effect on families.

My commitment to the people of my electorate of Robertson is to fight for a future where more choice and more opportunity abound. I am passionate about making sure the experience of my husband, whose round-trip commute takes over four hours a day, does not have to be the future experience of my young family or the future experience of tens of thousands of other families on the coast. NorthConnex is part of that solution. We are getting on with delivering this vital project as we deliver the infrastructure of the 21st century for the Central Coast.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the private members' motion moved by the member for Berowra regarding the M1-M2 link, and to support the member for Grayndler's amendment. I agree that the coalition should be commended for fulfilling a promise they took to the election. We have seen them break commitment after commitment to the Australian public since being elected, so it is good of them to go through with one—it is a nice change!

I also agree that investment in infrastructure is a crucial component of economic growth. Labor believe the same, and that is why, when in government, we invested $36 billion under the Nation Building Program and committed to investing a further $24 billion. That is $60 billion in total. That is investment that helped Australia survive and improved our economic status during the global financial crisis while other developed nations floundered.

Just last week we saw another major Labor government infrastructure investment open near my electorate of Newcastle, the Hunter Expressway—the largest-ever infrastructure project built in the Hunter region. The new four-lane, 40-kilometre road will improve road safety, boost productivity and ease congestion. It will cut travel time between Newcastle and the Hunter Valley by 25 minutes. Federal Labor funded the project in the 2009-10 budget at a cost of $1.5 billion as part of its economic stimulus plan. The New South Wales government contributed $200 million. Coalition members who opposed the economic stimulus package in the parliament were, of course, amongst the first to line up to cut the ribbon when the road was officially opened last Friday. I am glad that the member for Hunter, who fought so vehemently to secure funds for the Hunter Expressway, was eventually invited to join with the state and federal government ministers who swooped out of the Hunter just as swiftly as they had arrived.

Let us look at some of the detail of the M1-M2 link—or NorthConnex as it is now being called. The major infrastructure project to link the M1 and M2 is indeed a much-needed missing link and will provide major benefits to travellers making their way to and from Sydney and up to Newcastle. It is a vital project that will remove 21 sets of traffic lights between the Central Coast and the City of Sydney. It is vital for commuters, but it is also good for freight. However, two weeks ago we saw a staged press conference with the Prime Minister and the Premier of New South Wales to rename the project that federal Labor had worked on and included in budgets for a number of years. One hundred and fifty million dollars of that funding is already flowing through this financial year; $5 million flowed into the project in 2012-13 budget as well. The press conference did not announce one extra dollar of investment or one extra metre of road—although we do have a new name, so there will be some new signage. Indeed, there was already an agreement between the state and Commonwealth governments which saw $405 million committed by the New South Wales government and $405 by the Commonwealth, with arrangements for Transurban to conduct the work. The former Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the member for Grayndler, signed the intergovernmental agreement for this project with the relevant state minister, Duncan Gay, in the government party room of the New South Wales parliament on 21 June last year.

If the government, led by the so-called 'infrastructure Prime Minister', are serious about infrastructure, they need to actually build something new, not just come up with a new name for a project already underway. In Newcastle and the Hunter they could build on the preparatory work Labor undertook for high-speed rail that would see Newcastle connect to all the major cities on the eastern seaboard, or they might like to consider some transport links to our currently unserviced airport at Williamtown. This is an attempt by the Abbott government to con the people of Australia into thinking that they are doing something in infrastructure when they are really doing nothing new at all.

One point missing from the motion before the House today is that this road will also benefit the people of Newcastle. We welcome the M1-M2 development, which will free up traffic flows for Novocastrians travelling on to connect with the M7, making significant travel time cuts.

In closing, I commend the government's commitment to completing Labor's program for construction of the M1-M2 link. We agree that investment in infrastructure is vital for economic growth. That is why we implemented such a major nation-building project under the former, Labor government. I genuinely look forward to the government bringing forward some genuinely new infrastructure projects for investment into our future.

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I ask you to ensure that the member opposite does not constantly interject on speakers. Speakers on this side have paid the courtesy of listening quietly to the other side. I did not want to jump up whilst the member for Newcastle was speaking because I did not want to interrupt her speech. I would ask you to call the member opposite to order if he does it again.

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendments be agreed to.

Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the private member's motion before the House, which commends the government for fulfilling our commitment to construct the NorthConnex M1-M2 link. The member for Berowra is right in recognising that NorthConnex is a vital piece of infrastructure and is the missing link in Sydney's transport system. NorthConnex not only will benefit the people of the Central Coast and north-west Sydney but will have a flow-on effect to all areas of Sydney. This is why I have been fighting for the M1-M2 link from the day that I became a candidate and have continued the fight as the member for Dobell.

I was very proud last week to advise the people of Dobell that the Abbott coalition government will build the NorthConnex. We have listened to the residents and businesses of the Central Coast—and that is why the talkfest is over and this government is delivering this vital piece of infrastructure.

NorthConnex will be a nine-kilometre tunnel motorway linking the M1 and M2 motorways. NorthConnex will ease traffic congestion, particularly along Pennant Hills Road, enabling commuters and freight vehicles to bypass up to 22 traffic lights and reduce travel time by up to 15 minutes. This is a win for commuters, who will see reduced congestion, shortened travel times and improved safety on our roads. The economic importance of NorthConnex is highlighted by the 5,000 heavy vehicles that will be removed from Pennant Hills Road on a daily basis. This will increase the efficiency of freight movements, improve safety and air quality and reduce noise for residents and businesses. Of particular importance for commuters will be the ability to travel from Newcastle to Canberra and Melbourne without encountering a single traffic light.

NorthConnex is a jointly funded project by the federal and New South Wales governments, who will each contribute $405 million towards the $3 billion project. Credit must go to the O'Farrell coalition government in New South Wales, who are also getting on with the job and delivering the projects that the previous state Labor government failed to do. Projects such as NorthConnex are the result of a strong working relationship between the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments. NorthConnex is a significant project for the Central Coast and the people of Dobell.

But this is more than reducing travel times; this is about investment and jobs. The major challenge on the Central Coast is the creation of local job opportunities to match labour force growth. Substantial infrastructure projects such as NorthConnex are vital in developing a stronger and more prosperous economy to enable us to be more competitive and productive and raise our standard of living. The Central Coast is expected to grow by an additional 100,000 people by 2031, requiring more than 45,000 new jobs. The reality, however, is that not everyone will have access to a job close to home or access to their dream job; therefore, many residents will still commute outside the region. For the people of Dobell who commute every working day, NorthConnex will mean shorter and safer travelling options, less time in traffic and more time with their families.

This vital piece of infrastructure is long overdue. This project has been talked about for decades. Labor in New South Wales had 16 years to deliver this project, and the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd federal government had six. Contrary to the false claims being peddled by members opposite, the reality is it was only ever going to be a coalition government that would deliver NorthConnex. We can argue back and forth about who committed what, but the reality is that after only six months of government the Abbott coalition government is delivering on its promise to the people of the Central Coast to build the roads of the 21st century.

In November 2007 the Howard government committed to $1.5 billion over seven years to 2014 to fund construction of NorthConnex. This was in stark contrast to the $150 million committed by the Rudd government following taking office in 2007. Despite all the talk from Labor and members opposite, in May 2011 the Gillard Labor government announced the deferral of $150 million previously committed under the National Building Program until 2015-16. Labor had no intention of delivering the NorthConnex project, and the people of the Central Coast knew this. It has taken the election of the Abbott coalition government to get this project moving again. Within six months of coming to office the Abbott coalition government will see construction of NorthConnex commence within 12 months and the project completed by 2019.

This government is committed to better infrastructure such as the NorthConnex, which will boost the productive capacity of the New South Wales economy, delivering economic growth and jobs to the people of Dobell. I commend this motion to the House.

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to start my contribution to this debate by congratulating the former minister for infrastructure, Mr Anthony Albanese, on the work that he has done to bring the NorthConnex project to fruition. I would also like to thank the member for Berowra for his advocacy to the O'Farrell government in managing to get them to sign up to this project back on 21 June last year. I know he has been a long supporter of the project just as I have been a long supporter of this project, because it really benefits the people that I represent in Lake Macquarie and on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

I would particularly like to draw the House's attention to the amendment that was moved by the shadow minister in which he mentions the $450 million that was committed in June 2013 and the simple fact that the former government committed to building the M1-M2 link. I also note the amendment to point (c), that the former government included the full funding for the federal project in the 2013 budget. So this project was fully funded under Labor. It was committed to under Labor and, as much as I hate to say it, this is one thing that the former Howard government avoided. I am really pleased that the Abbott government has made a commitment to backing Labor to the line. I was really confused last week when I saw the announcement of this project, because it had already been announced. The funding had already been committed. As I considered the issue, I realised that the only new thing about the announcement of NorthConnex was the sign that was present at the announcement.

At a time when Infrastructure Australia is being undermined by the current government, at a time when decisions relating to infrastructure are going to be delegated to a committee—despite the fact that we have a Prime Minister who says he wishes to be known as the infrastructure Prime Minister—I am really pleased to see a project as vital as this being funded and committed to by the Abbott government. I know the member for Berowra has been an advocate of it for a long time. I give him credit for that and I give him credit for being able to get his Prime Minister to follow up on the commitment the Labor government made under the former infrastructure minister, now the shadow infrastructure minister.

I find it interesting that, all of a sudden, we have Abbott government ministers going out and having photo ops at the sites of projects fully funded and built by the previous Labor government. The Hunter Expressway is an example. The member for Hunter put so much effort into seeing it was delivered. On Friday, it was 'interesting' to see ministers of the Abbott government up there taking credit for something that Labor funded and that the member for Hunter fought for. It is similar to this case. With a project of vital importance to the people I represent in this parliament and of vital importance to the city of Sydney, we have the Abbott government standing up and taking credit for something in which they are only following Labor. Congratulations, shadow minister, for the work you did while you were minister. This will really benefit the people of my electorate. (Time expired)

John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My electorate of Bennelong in north-western Sydney is home to some of Sydney's most congested roads. Commuters face long delays every day as they deal with roads ill-equipped to carry the amount of traffic that now travels from and through the area. Epping Road, Beecroft Road, Pennant Hills Road, Victoria Road, Lane Cove Road and Blaxland Road are some of the major roads that service the constituents of Bennelong and beyond. Morning and evening traffic jams are commonplace for the thousands of commuters who travel these roads on a daily basis. A simple breakdown can back traffic up for kilometres, causing disruption to commuters, businesses and residents alike.

It is with this in mind that I applaud the New South Wales Liberal government and the federal Liberal-National government for pushing ahead to get the NorthConnex twin tunnels underway. The announcement that the nine-kilometre missing link between the M1 and M2 motorways is going to be built is a triumph for Bennelong. The NorthConnex will take the pressure off our major roads and return them to the community. The section of Pennant Hills Road that will be bypassed means traffic congestion in both directions through Bennelong will be improved. Beecroft Road, Epping Road, Carlingford Road, Blaxland Road, Victoria Road and Lane Cove Road are all set to reap the benefits—not to mention the dozens of busy local rat runs through the area that were never designed to take the amount of traffic currently visited upon them.

About 30 per cent of light vehicles and 50 per cent of heavy vehicles currently using Pennant Hills Road are expected to divert through the NorthConnex tunnel. With at least 5,000 trucks per day being diverted from Pennant Hills Road through the NorthConnex tunnels, the flow-on effect for everyday road users will be enormous. In addition, commuters and freight trucks will bypass up to 21 sets of traffic lights and reduce traffic time by more than 15 minutes.

Undoubtedly, there will be some local disruption for a period of time whilst construction of the tunnels is underway. Pending this approvals process this will be underway next year, with the tunnels expected to open in 2019. However, the benefits to our community will far outweigh the disruption once the bypass is completed. The NorthConnex will reduce noise pollution and stress on residents, who enjoy heavy vehicles barrelling along Pennant Hills Road 24 hours a day. The tunnel construction is even forecast to increase property values.

Previously, those travelling from north of Sydney to southern Sydney, the Southern Highlands, Canberra or even to Melbourne had to struggle through Sydney's busy traffic, at times adding an hour or more to an already extensive journey. The NorthConnex will allow Sydney to be bypassed completely, and truck drivers, commuters and holiday-makers who have no intention or need to travel through the suburbs of Sydney will reach their destinations in record time. Once NorthConnex is complete, someone travelling from the Central Coast to Canberra could, essentially, enter the ACT without coming across one set of traffic lights. This offers a world-class travel experience and takes major pressure off Sydney's already busy suburbs.

I am proud to be a part of the infrastructure government that is building the roads of the 21st century. The NorthConnex is a result of the strong working relationship between the Commonwealth and New South Wales state governments and is part of our plan to build a stronger economy, delivering growth and jobs. The Australian government is investing $405 million in this $3 billion project, and it will create around 2,000 jobs. Under the former government nothing happened; unlike Labor, the coalition actually delivers on its promises instead of just talking about them.

NorthConnex will become a major freight route for eastern Australia, and will effectively allow trucks to bypass Sydney. In our first term of government, we are getting on with the job and delivering the transport infrastructure Sydney desperately needs. This is a project that has been talked about for decades and which has now become a reality under the New South Wales and federal Liberal and National governments.

Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The project that used to be called the F3 to M2 link and which now has been renamed the M1 to M2 link, or NorthConnex, is an incredibly important project for my community and for those to the north of me.

I have watched the development of this project over many years: I watched the member for Berowra talk about this project many years ago; I watched the Labor government work on it; I heard the announcement quite some time ago; I saw the initial $5 million flow through the 2012-13 budget; I saw the $150 million in the 2013-14 budget under Labor, which is now flowing; and I saw the press release on 21 June last year, when the federal infrastructure and transport minister, Anthony Albanese, and the New South Wales roads and ports minister, Duncan Gay, signed an intergovernmental agreement on behalf of their respective governments, locking in potential funding contributions required to bring forward the delivery of that all-important missing link. So I have been watching this project grow over many years, and complex projects like this do take many years. Being an infrastructure government requires sometimes years of work before projects come to the first sod, let alone the first vehicle driving down them.

So I was a little surprised when I saw the current government announce this project as their own—'We commit to this. We will do this,' they said. That is wonderful, that unlike so many other transport projects they are not actually removing the budget—they are not cutting the budget for this one. That is a great thing. But taking credit—full credit—for work that was done by someone else over many years, in the real world is a wee bit of something that you would not think was a particularly nice thing to do. If one of your kids did it you might actually be unhappy and think that there was something a bit troubling. If one of your kids did it on an ongoing basis—took credit for something that someone else did, maybe their brother or sister, or blamed their brother or sister for something they did—you might think there was something a little problematic and start working on their character. And yet this is what we see a government doing—a government elected by the people of Australia is prepared to walk into this House, walk out into the public eye and blatantly—with a smirk on their faces because they know it is blatant—take credit for work which is clearly not theirs.

I give credit to this government for continuing with this project—I do, because I have seen so many other infrastructure projects get the chop. We have seen the Abbott government ripping all the federal funding for all urban passenger rail projects, which were also well underway, well down the pathway towards building.

An opposition member: $3 billion.

Yes, exactly—$3 billion for your electorate. So it is good that this project is going ahead. It is just a shame that the government does not have a bit more character in its announcement of it. Then again, I also saw a few weeks ago the Minister for Social Services announce that the Abbott government had delivered an increase to the pensions, when actually what happened was an automatic adjustment based around male average weekly earnings which happens twice a year—because we introduced the legislation, the increase automatically comes. Press release: 'Government delivers on pension increase'! Extraordinary exaggeration.

This is an important project and we now have both sides of politics over years that extend prior to the Labor government—through the last years of the Liberal government, through the Labor years and now through the Liberal years again—that will actually deliver this project. But can I say to the members opposite that it really is time. You won government. Have a bit of grace. As victors, have a bit of grace and actually give credit where credit is due. A number of governments—Labor at state level, Liberal at state level, Liberal or Labor and Liberal again at federal level again—have contributed to this project. Really, a little bit of honesty would not go astray.

Debate adjourned.