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

My question is also to the Acting Prime Minister and is also about the jointly funded Pacific Highway upgrade. Was he consulted about the decision by the New South Wales government to cut funding that had been allocated for safety works on the Pacific Highway and instead to use it to build a walkway to the Sydney Cricket ground? Does he support this cut to road safety in this joint program?

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

The New South Wales government is meeting its commitments to provide funding to the Pacific Highway. It is a joint project, as the shadow minister says. We have committed 80 per cent of the funding and we are asking New South Wales to meet the other 20 per cent of the funding, which is consistent with the funding arrangements that apply to the national highway network. So New South Wales is partnering with us in this commitment to complete the Pacific Highway duplication by 2020. It is providing the funds that we have asked of it and we are getting on with the job, something Labor did not do when they slashed funding from these projects.

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. That was a very specific question about whether he supports the cuts to road safety programs on the Pacific Highway. If he does, he should just say yes.

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

The Acting Prime Minister has the call.

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

The reality is, again, that this government have increased funding to safety programs et cetera. The Black Spot Program and the road safety program for the heavy vehicle industry have got additional funding under this government, more than was provided by the previous government. The opposition simply cannot get away from the fact that they spent less on roads in their last year in government than the Howard government spent in its last year. The reality is they slashed road funding over their last year and it has taken this government to restore funding and increase—

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

The member for Grayndler on a point of order other than on relevance.

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

Yes, Madam Speaker. He is defying your ruling.

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

There was no ruling.