Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. I refer to the fact that WA Premier, Colin Barnett, has said in relation to section 2 of the Perth Freight Link that there is no route or design, no planning and that the connection is still a long way away. Doesn't good government mean that planning for infrastructure projects should be done before funding is allocated?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I think if we examine the Hansard record we might discover that the member for Perth in fact asked this question yesterday and it was fully answered at the time by the Deputy Prime Minister, who is today, of course, the Acting Prime Minister.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My recollection is that there are some differences in it. I am going to allow the question. The Acting Prime Minister has the call.

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

This government is making a record investment in infrastructure across the nation. We are spending and we have committed to well over $50 billion worth of major new infrastructure projects, including significant funding in Western Australia. There are big projects in all of our capital cities, including Perth. There are significant projects right across regional Australia, including in Western Australia. Those projects will make a real difference to the capacity of our economy to grow and take advantage of the opportunities in, for instance, the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. We will need superior infrastructure if our industry is going to prosper and deliver on the potential of that agreement. By placing such a significant amount of money on the table, we have identified a large number of projects for which we have been prepared to make financial commitments. Any project over $100 million—where there is over $100 million of Australian government commitment—will have to be assessed by Infrastructure Australia. That is a part of the process. The planning for projects and the arrangements before Infrastructure Australia can proceed simultaneously. The work is advancing.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler has a point of order?

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

Yes, Mr Speaker, a point of order on relevance.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is relevant.

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

Perth Freight Link has not been mentioned—not once!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. The Acting Prime Minister has the call.

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

When we have such a large agenda, the planning for these projects will proceed simultaneously. There are a number of projects in Perth that have been added to the list, because this government has provided another $500 million to assist Western Australia with infrastructure projects. The planning for those projects is not all complete, naturally, because you need money—

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

Because you don't know where it is going!

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

Because you need money to be able to undertake the planning, and that is some of the funding that we are providing. We are providing support for these projects to bring them from a position where, under Labor, they would never have been funded. Under Labor there was no commitment to these projects. Under this government we are providing the funding and systematically bringing these projects to commission. We are building them so that Australian motorists and transport users can take advantage of this massive investment in Australian infrastructure. That is happening in Canning, that is happening in Perth and that is happening in Western Australia, as it is right across the nation.