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

My question is to the Minister for Urban Infrastructure. Will the minister update the House on the government's approach to reducing congestion in our urban areas, including in my electorate of Banks and across New South Wales? Is the minister aware of alternative approaches?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question, because the member for Banks is a very strong advocate for the people of his electorate in terms of delivering a reduction in congestion.

Look, for example, at what he's achieved in relation to WestConnex: the King Georges Road interchange, with $130 million and opened to traffic in December 2016, and the M5 on-ramps, where he's made a commitment of $15 million of Commonwealth money, together with $15 million of New South Wales government funding. That will deliver a great improvement in congestion for the people in his electorate.

Let me contrast that, because I was asked if there are other approaches—and there are other approaches to how to deal with congestion. One approach that's very popular with the Labor Party is to make promises but then fail to deliver. In fact, if you're the New South Wales Labor government, you make a promise about rail 12 times and you deliver just half of one of the 12 rail lines you promised. Carl Scully promised the Bondi Beach rail line; it was never delivered. Carl Scully promised the high-speed rail link to Newcastle; it was never delivered. Carl Scully promised the Hurstville to Strathfield rail link; it was never delivered. The high-speed rail from Sutherland to Wollongong was never delivered. For Chatswood to Parramatta, all they could manage was half of that—Chatswood to Epping. The North West Rail Link was also promised by Carl Scully but not delivered by Labor.

Then, of course, came John Watkins: the South West Rail Link was promised but never delivered. Carl Scully came back again to promise a new CBD-harbour crossing; it was never delivered. John Watkins promised the north-west metro link; it was never delivered by Labor. David Campbell promised the CBD-Rozelle metro; it was never delivered. David Campbell promised the west metro; it was never delivered. And there was the western expressway.

Of course, the current Labor candidate for Bennelong has quite an involvement in this saga, because it was she who came along in February 2010 and cancelled the Sydney Metro at a cost of almost $500 million. There is a very clear contrast between the coalition's approach to delivering congestion-busting projects, like the King Georges Road Interchange, opened in December 2016—operational, unlike the chaos that we saw under New South Wales Labor for so many years: so many projects promised and never delivered.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

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

The member for Grayndler is warned.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is Labor's ripper idea for the people of Bennelong? It is to bring that chaos right back by offering us a former New South Wales Premier intimately involved with that chaotic record of nondelivery. We have a much better proposition, and his name is John Alexander.