Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
4:28 pm
Mr Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Bruce Scott Deputy-Speaker
Leave is granted. You can proceed if it is a personal explanation.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
Today, in question time, the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development suggested that it was not the case that I was responsible for signing the agreement on the NorthConnex project. Indeed, the NorthConnex project is just the renamed F3-M2 project, and this release of 21 June 2013 says, 'Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, and NSW Roads and Ports Minister, Duncan Gay, have today signed an intergovernmental agreement on behalf of their respective governments', locking in the funding for that project. I seek leave to table the photo of me and Duncan Gay, the New South Wales minister, in the New South Wales coalition party room, where the agreement was signed.
Warren Truss Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
Leave is not granted.
Warren Truss Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
4:29 pm
Mr Deputy Speaker, I seek leave to make a personal explanation.
Bruce Scott Deputy-Speaker
Are you seeking to make a personal explanation?
Warren Truss Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
Indeed. I have just been misrepresented by the shadow minister. The reality is that the project which he alleges that he signed was in fact for 7.7 kilometres—a two-lane road. What is being built is a nine kilometre road, with dual three-lane tunnels, and that is in exactly the same press release as he referred to just a few moments ago.
Bruce Scott Deputy-Speaker
I thank the Deputy Prime Minister and the member for Grayndler.
Mr Albanese interjecting—
The Deputy Prime Minister has finished his explanation. The member for Grayndler has had indulgence, and quite a lot of it.