Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. It is a serious question. I ask the Deputy Prime Minister to outline to the House how the government is getting on with building infrastructure our nation needs, for future growth, and to keep Australians in jobs.

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

I thank the honourable member for Berowra for the question, because he knows how important infrastructure is for our country to help ensure that we have a prosperous economy. We boost our productivity and create thousands of new jobs. For as long as I can remember, the honourable member for Berowra has been a champion, an aggressive agitator, for the project we now call NorthConnex. He has been pushing for this for decades, because he knows how important it is for the people of his electorate. NorthConnex is a real game-changing project that will reduce congestion. It will save motorists 15 minutes of travelling time, it bypasses 21 sets of traffic lights and will result in 5,000 less trucks on Pennant Hills Road.

Ms Owens interjecting—

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

The member for Parramatta is warned!

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

I was pleased today to be able to announce—with the honourable member for Berowra—an enhancement of that project. We will be working with the New South Wales government and the Hornsby local council so that up to two million cubic metres of excess soil from NorthConnex can be used to transform the old Hornsby Quarry site. The spoil will be used to improve the liveability of that region and, indeed, solve two problems: build the road that is important for the region, but also provide a new recreation area for the community. This is an important project. NorthConnex is one of a series of projects around Sydney which will transform the traffic flows of the city.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

I notice the shadow minister intervening. He is suffering a great deal, these days, from relevance deprivation syndrome—wandering around the countryside, trying to take credit for projects that Labor only talked about but never ever built. Indeed, I note that he even sought to take credit for NorthConnex, saying that he had actually done the deal for NorthConnex.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

The member for Grayndler will desist!

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

What he said in June 2013 in his press release was that he was supporting a 'new 7.7 kilometre dual two-lane road tunnel beneath Pennant Hills Road'. What we are building, in practice, is a nine kilometre dual tunnel, three lanes wide in each direction.

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

The minister will resume his seat. The member for Grayndler on a point of order, and it had better be a proper one.

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

This is a point of order, Madam Speaker.

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

What is it?

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

I ask the member to table the document from which he is reading.

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

He has not completed his answer. The member will resume his seat.

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

If it is not bad enough that Labor is seeking to take the credit for a project for which they did precious little, now they actually want to stop the project. The state Labor candidate for the region says he wants to stop the project. Now that would be completely unacceptable to the people of the region, who are expecting NorthConnex to be constructed. We have got the project underway. Labor just gets in the way, and wants these sorts of projects to be stopped.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

The member for Grayndler will desist or leave; the choice is his. I call the honourable member for Gilmore.

Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

An opposition member interjecting—

No; you were out of turn before!

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

The member for Gilmore will resume her seat. The member for Isaacs will resume his seat. The fact of the matter is the member for Sydney was called after the member for Indi. Her question was ruled out of order. The question will now go—is the member for Sydney seeking the call? The member for Sydney can have the call.