Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the latest ABS statistics, which show public infrastructure spending has fallen by 20 per cent since the coalition was elected. When will the government restore Commonwealth funding for public transport projects, including Melbourne Metro, Brisbane Cross River Rail, Gawler rail electrification in South Australia and Perth public transport projects?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. It does bring to mind his recent announcement promising to have a $10 billion loan fund to support infrastructure. He identified a number of projects that would be covered by this, and it was a very interesting list because they fell into two categories.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What are you doing?

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

The member for Isaacs is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One part of them was projects that were already funded and underway by our government, including the Pacific Highway, the Bruce Highway and the $400 million Midland Highway construction program. We saw this as a sign of validation. Plagiarism is the sincerest form of flattery and we are duly flattered by that. We are very grateful for that.

The other projects that he announced, including several that he mentioned in his question, were projects for which there has been absolutely no business case completed. Nothing has been completed.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

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

The member for Isaacs is warned!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Honourable members know that we do not discriminate between road or rail. Mass transit projects can be funded. It was only on Sunday that I was with many of my South-East Queensland colleagues and the minister for major projects. We were at Griffith University, at the light rail station, announcing our support for $95 million to complete that light rail line to link up to the heavy rail line to Brisbane and Helensvale. It is an excellent project and one that has received a lot of support in the community of South-East Queensland. It will make a very big difference, so we strongly support that. But the reality is that our government is supporting infrastructure right across the board. We will deliver a $50 billion program. The honourable member knows that, but projects have to have a business case. They have to be assessed, they have to be assessed in a businesslike way, and we have to look at more innovative approaches to financing them. We are very committed to that. We will look at whatever method can ensure that the Commonwealth, working with state and local government and the private sector, can mobilise the billions that we need to ensure that we have the infrastructure for the 21st century.