David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. Will the minister update the House on the progress of the WestConnex project? How will this key infrastructure help provide jobs and create opportunity in Western Sydney?

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Banks for the question. We have good news not just for the Western Suburbs but we also have good news for your electorate, with WestConnex Stage 2 about to get underway because of the $2 billion concessional loan provided by the 'infrastructure Prime Minister' to bring that project forward.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The member for Wakefield.

Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not just a good day for New South Wales because of WestConnex stages 1 and 2; it is a great day New South Wales because Mike Baird, the Premier of New South Wales, last night moved through the upper house the privatisation of electricity assets, which will unlock $30 billion of infrastructure investment in New South Wales. By the way, this was the proposal that he took to an election and was successful against the worst example of race-baiting by the New South Wales unions, supported by the New South Wales Labor Party. They oppose every single bit of this infrastructure investment that is about to be unleashed in New South Wales, creating thousands of jobs.

Today we announced the preferred design tender for the M4 East tunnel as part of WestConnex Stage 1. The widening for WestConnex Stage 1 began some months ago when the Prime Minister turned the first sod. Today we announced the tunnel design and route for the M4 tunnel that will be built as part of WestConnex Stage 1. It will create 10,000 jobs in New South Wales as part of this WestConnex project alone. There will be more to do with WestConnex. The Prime Minister wants to do more with WestConnex more quickly, and we are working with Mike Baird and New South Wales to deliver more quickly, because it is a project that will transform Sydney. It will transform the western suburbs. It will ensure that there are jobs created and that Sydney is more productive. Sydney went 20 years without infrastructure investment. For 20 years nothing happened, until Mike Baird, Barry O'Farrell, to his credit, and the 'infrastructure Prime Minister' got to it and got moving. WestConnex Stage 1 will be built. WestConnex stage 2 will be built quicker. WestConnex stage 3 will be built quicker, and there will be more. Add to that the Western Sydney airport that the Deputy Prime Minister moved legislation for today, and we congratulate the member for Grayndler for his support for the Western Sydney airport and the associated $3½ billion of road spending out in western Sydney. The member for Grayndler has been steadfast in his support for that project.

What we are going to see in New South Wales is a massive infrastructure boom because Mike Baird had the audacity, the strength and the plan to take to an election to ensure that we could unlock the potential of New South Wales. Unlike the Labor Party, on Tuesday night, as a very special birthday gift, I will get to enjoy the first episode of The Killing Season, which will show yet again that this Leader of the Opposition cannot be trusted by his own people, and he certainly cannot be trusted by the Australian people.

Honourable members interjecting—

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

The member for Hunter has the call and we will have some silence.