Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister outline the government's plan to cut travel times for motorists in my home city of Melbourne? Are there any threats to this plan?

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

Thank you to the member of Higgins for that question. She is a great believer in the investments that we are making in Victoria for our infrastructure program, led of course by the infrastructure Prime Minister. The member for Higgins, along with the member for Deakin—Townsville is not included in that, I don't think—the member for La Trobe fights very hard; the member for Casey fights very hard on the eastern side, and of course the member for Corangamite, who is constantly arguing for the East West Link stage 2, which this government funded in the budget with an additional 1½—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

The Minister for Social Services, as the member for Grayndler rightly picks up, is a big supporter of the East West Link.

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

The member for Grayndler will desist. The member for Grayndler might have to help by leaving.

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

And of course, the western side of the project we funded with an additional $1½ billion dollars in the budget, because the infrastructure Prime Minister said that we need both sides of this project done. The benefit will be enjoyed by Victorians in Melbourne for the 6,000 jobs it will create, the productivity increase, the benefit for the people who live in Melbourne for reducing traffic time and travel time.

We are not the only people on this side who support this approach. In July 2008, there was a group of four Labor MPs at that time who supported in writing the need for an east-west connector across the city of Melbourne. They were the member for Lalor at the time, the Hon. Julia Gillard; the member for Gellibrand at the time, Nicola Roxon; the member for Gorton, Brendan O'Connor; and of course the member for Maribyrnong, the Hon. Bill Shorten MP, who was part of this submission. It is a very good submission and makes some very good points. It makes a very good point in the executive summary. I might indulge the House and read what the East West Link Needs Assessment Overview conducted by Sir Rod Eddington says. It stresses:

The consequences of 'doing nothing' are negative and far-reaching. They will threaten Melbourne's future economic success and liveability. Substantial new investment is needed in the transport network to avoid these consequences, support the changes taking place across Melbourne and help to open up new jobs and business opportunities across the city.

We agree with the member for Maribyrnong's position in 2008. We just hope that the member for Maribyrnong talks to his colleague in Melbourne, the Socialist Left faction leader Dan Andrews, and makes clear to him that the policy from the member for Melbourne, Mr Bandt, is not the policy to follow. Ripping up the East-West contract will not only raise a sovereign risk for Victoria if Labor is successful in the Victorian election but also undo a very important investment to create jobs and to create economic opportunity in Melbourne. The Leader of the Opposition should speak to Dan Andrews and make very clear that he should get rid of this ridiculous policy, led by the Greens, and support 6,000 jobs and support the City of Melbourne.