Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House how the East West Link project will create jobs and ease traffic congestion for commuters in Melbourne? What threats exist to this important project?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Deakin for his question. I thank him for wanting to see Melbourne be a modern city with First World, 21st century infrastructure.

Dr Chalmers interjecting —

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

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

The member for Rankin then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I say to everyone stuck in traffic in Hoddle Street, on Flemington Road and on Alexander Parade that there is only one way to fix it—that is to build the East West Link. There is only one way to build the East West Link. That is to re-elect the Napthine government. Melbourne is choking on its own traffic. The coalition will fix the gridlock. Labor would keep it because they put Greens preferences ahead of better infrastructure and more jobs. That is the truth: they put Greens preferences ahead of better infrastructure and more jobs.

The East West Link will cut out 23 sets of traffic lights. It will give inner-city residents their parks and suburbs back. It will give the occupants of 100,000 vehicles a 20-minute time-saving every single day. East West Link stage 1 will create almost 4,000 jobs and, combined with stage 2, the East West Link will create 7,000 jobs. It is exactly the economic shot in the arm that Victoria needs. Denis Napthine supports it. The Labor Party oppose it. There could not be a clearer choice facing the people of Victoria this Saturday. Not only do Labor oppose the East West Link, not only do Labor want to keep Melbourne in the 19th century—

Ms Butler interjecting —

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

The member for Griffith is warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

but the Victorian Labor Party want to rip up the contract. Not only do they want to make it less convenient for people driving cars and trucks; they want to ensure that Victoria is no longer a safe place to invest by ripping up this contract.

This is a serious problem. It is a serious problem not just for Victorian Labor; it is a problem for federal Labor, too. I will quote someone I do not normally quote, the shadow Treasurer:

… Bill Shorten and I are of one mind, Labor honours contracts … Even if we don’t like them for issues of sovereign risk Labor honours contracts in office signed by previous governments.

So this is my challenge to the Leader of the Opposition: show a bit of spine and say, 'The East West Link must go ahead. Melbourne must have the infrastructure of the 21st century and only the Napthine government will build it.'