Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister inform the House how building the infrastructure of the 21st century creates jobs and strengthens the economy for the long term?

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

I thank the honourable member for his question. This government understands the critical importance of building infrastructure for the 21st century. Our $50 billion plan not only will provide modern infrastructure to build a more prosperous economy but will also create tens of thousands of extra jobs. In New South Wales, the member's home state, it would be apparent to him that the previous Labor government in New South Wales had starved the state of the infrastructure investment that it actually needed. That showed up on country roads and on city roads right across the state. The WestConnex project alone in Sydney will create 10,000 jobs and transform the traffic networks of the city. It will make a real difference by providing the infrastructure support that a growing city actually requires. Well, surprise, surprise—Labor is now threatening to cancel some or all of that project. They are threatening to cancel the project; not to allow it to proceed—10,000 jobs at risk. What about the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan, which is building new roads for Western Sydney, and of course a second airport—about 8,000 jobs? That is also at risk under a Labor government. Labor has form in this regard, and New South Wales voters need to recognise that Labor has form. As soon as the Victorian Labor government was elected, it moved to cancel the east west project—a transformational project for Melbourne. Labor is prepared to spend $1.2 billion not to build a road. That is their approach towards infrastructure.

What about the new Queensland government that is turning down about $20 billion worth of infrastructure projects because they are not prepared to recycle existing assets? They are preventing tens of thousands of jobs being created in Queensland, including the Brisbane bus and train tunnel—a project that Labor says it supports, but now they are turning down the opportunity and declining to proceed with the commitment of the former Newman government to build this vital asset. That is the message that New South Wales voters need to be aware of. Labor might talk infrastructure, but when they get there they are not prepared to go ahead with the project. Jobs are lost and vital infrastructure is lost to our nation. Let's let the Baird government get on with the task of building the vital infrastructure that New South Wales want, and we will cooperate with them to deliver it.

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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

The member for Perth will desist! I call the honourable member for Macquarie.

Louise Markus (Macquarie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline how the government is building jobs, growth and opportunity—particularly in construction. How does this assist all Australians, including those in my electorate of Macquarie?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question and recognise that residential construction, particularly in Western Sydney, is hugely important, as is the construction of WestConnex with 10,000 jobs, as is the investment of over $2.8 billion in new roads and as is the construction of a second airport, resulting in an additional 8,000 jobs. Labor wants to tear it up. Labor in New South Wales wants to stop the development in Western Sydney and close down WestConnex—immediately costing 18,000 jobs, just like they have just torn up contracts for 7,000 new jobs associated with east west in Melbourne. Why does Labor hate jobs? I do not understand it. We should be pleased today about the fact that we have building approval numbers that have increased in the last 12 months by over nine per cent for the year. We now have the highest apartment construction on record, and that is going to help to create more jobs right around Australia—and obviously in the member for Macquarie's electorate as well.

Last week, the Prime Minister and I announced a new regime for the policing and enforcement of existing laws in relation to foreign investment for residential real estate. We view it as very important that there be integrity around the foreign investment system in Australia. I reiterate that not since 2006, when the coalition was last in government, has anyone—not the Labor Party, not anyone—ever enforced the law. I can announce to the parliament today that just before question time I issued an order, under subsection 21A(4) of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act, to force the divestment of a major residential property in the middle of Sydney held unlawfully by a foreign investor. They have 90 days to sell the property. We are very serious about enforcing the law. We are very serious about integrity in our foreign investment system. If someone breaks a law, we will enforce the law to its full. We welcome foreign investment. It is hugely important, but it is vitally important that every Australian knows that the rules relating to foreign investment are going to be enforced. They were not enforced by the Labor Party. They are being emphatically enforced under the coalition.