Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on the status of the East West Link? What benefits will this vital infrastructure project deliver to communities in Melbourne? Is the minister aware of any other plans to reduce traffic congestion?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I call the honourable Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, and we will have a lessening of noise on my left so that we can hear the answer. That includes the member for Charlton.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for La Trobe is a great fighter for the East West project. He knows and his constituents know how important it is, like the member for Deakin, the Minister for Social Services and the member for Casey, in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne—they know how important this project is.

Government Member:

A government member interjecting—

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was coming to the member for Corangamite, on the western side. I know she is desperate to be involved in this project. This project comes from a report that was done by Sir Rod Eddington, an eminent Australian, well-respected, former chair of Infrastructure Australia, appointed by 'Scooter' over there—the member for Grayndler—as the first chair of Infrastructure Australia way back in 2008.

An honourable member interjecting—

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

No, it is not, and I would ask the assistant minister to address people by their correct title. And the member who is making disparaging remarks will cease.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The East West project comes from a report that was done by Sir Rod Eddington back in 2008 which made the point that Melbourne needed an east-west connected strategy.

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

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Scooter, how are you, old fella?

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

The assistant minister will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler on a point of order.

Government members interjecting—

There will be silence on my right so that I can hear the point of order.

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

Madam Speaker, to be fair to the assistant minister—

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

Just get on with the point of order.

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

he was probably at school when the report was done. It is a very different project from the one being proposed by the Victorian government.

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

The member will resume his seat. As I have said before, simply because the former minister is missing that portfolio it is no reason to abuse the standing orders, and he knows it. The assistant minister has the call.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This was a report that then asked for submissions to be put into the east-west study to understand which was the best project to go ahead with. There was a group of four MPs from the Labor side who followed that advice and put in a submission in July 2008. Those MPs were the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, member for Lalor; the Hon. Nicola Roxon, member for Gellibrand; the Hon. Brendan O'Connor, member for Gorton; and the Hon. Bill Shorten, member for Maribyrnong. It says, 'The group supports a cross-city road link for the western suburbs to the Eastern Freeway.'

Government members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my right as well. We will have some order.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But, not happy with just one submission, Bill Shorten, National Secretary of the AWU, puts in another submission. That submission says on the first line, 'The Australian Workers Union believes that the new East West Link is crucial to jobs and economic growth.' Well, we are with the AWU. The workers united will never be defeated. We are with the AWU on that. But unfortunately the Labor Party has changed its position and now opposes it. Danny Andrews will rip up a contract which will soon be signed. The new position of the Labor Party—

Honourable members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my left and right.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

is that they will have a scooter-built revolution. They will have the 'building the scooter revolution' announced by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday. The scooter-led revolution is actually an old policy.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order. I think under the standing orders the member for Mayo should refer to members by their correct titles.

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

I will ask the assistant minister to do that and, at the same time, I will ask the member for Grayndler to withdraw his comment. So you will both withdraw.

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

I withdraw.

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

Good. And, Assistant Minister, you will refer to members by their correct title.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What am I withdrawing?

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

Scooter.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

You have the call.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, it is an old announcement. The scooter-led revolution was announced in 2012. What it says is that we know that if the Labor Party is elected next time the carbon tax will be back, the boats will be back, the debt will be back and the chaos will be back. I table the submission from the AWU and from the group of four. (Time expired)

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

I was going to give the call to the Leader of the Opposition, but he has just been pushed out of the way. The member for Grayndler.

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

I seek leave to table the coalition's 'better way on infrastructure' policy, saying it will have a cost-benefit analysis.

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

Is leave granted? Leave is not granted. The member will resume his seat. I now give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.