Sharman Stone (Murray, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on new infrastructure projects being funded by the government, particularly in this year's budget?

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

Madam Speaker—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

I remind the member for Grayndler that he is warned.

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

I am?

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

You are now!

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

I thank the Speaker for calling me and for her good advice to the honourable member for Grayndler. I am delighted to report to the parliament on the outstanding commitments of this government towards infrastructure in the last budget. Our commitments are at least $17 billion higher than anything ever promised by Labor—$17 billion more than Labor promised. Yet we still have Labor members, including the Leader of the Opposition, making these spurious claims about funding being cut in the last budget. It clearly went up. The budget papers make it absolutely clear that from 2014 to 2016 expenditure on roads will double and the expenditure on rail will almost double—major commitments to building the infrastructure that this nation needs. The honourable member for Grayndler and others often talk about this government not spending money on rail. We are doubling the amount of money being spent on rail and, in addition to that, close to $2 billion will be provided through the Asset Recycling Fund for rail projects in New South Wales and the ACT. If other states want to join the asset recycling plan, there will be opportunities for them as well.

Around 95 new road projects have been committed to by this government which were never ever mentioned by Labor. Of course that includes $6 million for the Midland Highway in the honourable member for Murray's electorate, and it includes money for the Great Ocean Road, also in Victoria. There is $2.9 billion, as well, for the Western Sydney roads package, and over $1 billion for the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, which I am anxious to see start as quickly as possible. There is money for the North-South corridor project in Adelaide. Labor has never supported the Toowoomba range project.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

I remind the member for Grayndler that he is warned and he can leave or remain—the choice is his.

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

They have never supported the Toowoomba range project, and of course we are funding the Outback Way, WestConnex and a whole host of projects that are beginning to make a real difference to Australia's infrastructure bank and that will ensure that Australian motorists and rail travellers have access to the kind of infrastructure that is necessary in this century. This is the government for building—it is about building roads, building rail, getting the job done and making a difference for Australians.