Ben Morton (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What fantastic news there is in the budget, not just for the people of Tangney but, importantly, for the people of the federal electorate of Fremantle. There it is in statement 9 on page 33 of Budget Paper No. 1:

The Australian Government remains committed to the construction of the Roe 8 and 9 extensions to complete the Perth Freight Link. … the Australian Government will provide $1.2 billion to the first WA Government willing to build the Perth Freight Link by constructing the Roe 8 and 9 extensions …

But why is it so important? It's so important because: it will bypass 15 sets of traffic lights; 7,000 trucks and 74,000 cars will be taken off local roads each and every day; there will be better freeway access; and it will even save 450,000 tonnes of CO2. But Labor and Mark McGowan in WA are refusing to take that $1.2 billion to get this vital project done. They have the ability to access those funds, and the feedback in my office from the people of Tangney and the people of Fremantle is that they want that road built. I've campaigned against the noisy protesters. I know the community wants that road built. Labor must work with the federal government to access the $1.2 billion that's there, in black and white, to get this project done.

Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday's budget cut another $127 million from the ABC. Since this government came to power in 2013, it has cut $381 million from the public broadcaster. That's $381 million less for news and current affairs, children's broadcasting, Australian drama production and specialist programs in the arts and sciences. I am most concerned by the impact the latest cut could have on the ABC's coverage of rural and regional issues which affect my electorate. These cuts hurt, and they are designed to hurt.

The lessons of this Liberal government are clear. You can rip off your customers. You can forge their signatures. You can charge fees for services not asked for and not delivered. You can even charge dead people. You can do all this and the Liberals will still reward you with a $17 billion tax cut. But what you can't do is upset the Liberals. You can't report news they don't like. You can't air opinions they don't agree with. Do that and they will punish you. They will make you pay. I am proud to stand up for the ABC. It does a wonderful job in Tasmania on a shoestring budget. But now, more than ever, we need a strong, trusted and independent public broadcaster.