Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion that's been moved by the member for Gellibrand, because it is about Victorian rail infrastructure. I wanted to make a couple of points about how critical this is to the regions in unlocking our potential. Here is a fact: the first new rail line to be built in Victoria in decades, in almost 100 years, was the Regional Rail Link. That was funded by the former Labor government, partnered with by the state Labor government. On the opening day, I'm not surprised that we didn't have any current members of the government turn up. The shadow minister, Anthony Albanese, was there, as well as federal and state MPs. They jumped onboard with the minister for tourism, Jacinta Allen, who is a member in my part of the world, and celebrated this great achievement.

The Regional Rail Link has helped reduce travel times for people in Geelong, Bendigo and Ballarat to get into Melbourne. We are growing in the regions and we need access to fast, reliable trains. The Regional Rail Link has allowed us to have that. The $3.2 billion that was committed to Regional Rail Link really helped the regions. It allowed towns in the metro areas to have access to rail services like they never have before. It allows people living in my electorate in Woodend and Kyneton to get to town in less than an hour. Our goal in Bendigo is to one day have peak, express services from Bendigo to Melbourne in an hour. It can be achieved, if we actually have the investment and the commitment.

This is where the commitment around Melbourne's airport link comes in. The government's plan is short-sighted. It completely forgets the regions and locks the regions out of any of this investment. What the government wants to do is create a new rail link straight through Maribyrnong, straight through the north and straight to the airport. It will probably do a public/private partnership and probably give the contract out to a for-profit company. It does nothing to help the regions. People in the regions would still have to go all the way into Southern Cross, and then come out.

I support, and want to see, this government commit to an appropriate route—a route that can not only advance airport rail link but help to unlock the potential of the regions. This is why I support what state Labor has put forward: let's make Sunshine a hub. If we make Sunshine a hub, connecting to the Regional Rail Link, Bendigo, Geelong and Ballarat services can meet in Sunshine, then send from Sunshine out to the airport. People can get on at Southern Cross and come to Sunshine. Let's make Sunshine the next Southern Cross, the next hub for rail. This is how we can help people in the regions get around Victoria.

It's taken this government—the Liberal-National Party—a very long time to get onboard with Regional Rail Link. They have dragged their feet. They've not invested in the regions. It's taken a state Labor government to get onboard. We know the jobs that regional rail are generating. We know the jobs that their program of building rail is generating—lots of CFMEU members working hard to deliver, on time or ahead of time, our regional projects. This is good investment. We are also seeing in Victoria a commitment, because of state Labor, to build the rolling stock in Victoria. You can get on a train and—it's true—it says 'made in Victoria'. We are making trains again in Victoria because we had a state Labor government commit to it, and federal Labor has also committed to a national rolling stock rail plan. It can be possible. We can invest and create local jobs by building public infrastructure, whether it be the trains or whether it be the rail.

This is something that the government does not seem to care about. They don't commit to apprentices in their contracts. They demonise, victimise and bully unions who try to stand up to make sure that we have safe workplaces. We need to work in partnership with industry and we need to work in partnership with our states to deliver. That is why I support the motion that is before us. It is a genuine acknowledgement and commitment towards rail and it doesn't ignore the regions, which is what this government has done in infrastructure funding in Victoria for a long time. Let's have an appropriate route for access to the airport that continues to unlock the potential in the regions and builds upon the success that Labor started with the Regional Rail Link.

Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have to begin by saying: what a load of rubbish from the previous speaker. When it comes down to it, what we have from this federal government is a government that has directly committed to building the infrastructure to build this nation's future. The ranting and raving of those opposite and their seeking both to claim credit for this government has done and also to defend the interests of their union bosses is quite obscene. I note during the previous member's speech there was a long discussion about the role of the unions in delivering projects on time. The member never talked about it being on budget, never talked about it coming at a huge expense, never talked about Victorians getting appalling value for money on infrastructure as a consequence and never talked about the unions monopolising conduct on work sites in the construction sector.

But let's get back to the central point and the point of the motion, which is that the governments that oversee steady population growth have an obligation to plans for its consequences. Australia's population growth is 1.6 per cent a year, half of which is as a result of immigration. Therefore, we must do what we can to make sure that that growth is sustainable through proper investment and infrastructure so that it grows at a speed that this country can absorb. We will be growing by the size of Canberra each year for the next 30 years. Three-quarters of that growth will be in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. When governments adequately plan for population growth, it can do wonders for economic prosperity, liveability and social mobility. But it must be directly backed up with infrastructure.

The coming decades will also deliver rapid technological disruption that will change the nature of the location of work. The ongoing shift from dispersed manufacturing jobs to service sectors has reversed a long-term decline in inner-city job numbers. We know service industry workers like to live close to each other, and it reduces transaction costs, breeds creativity and fuels innovation. Melbourne has this potential to be an iconic economic and cultural powerhouse and for Victoria to continue its trajectory as the leading state in this Commonwealth. We must take the growth challenges we face seriously, especially when comes to public infrastructure. Access to the public transport network is limited in the outer suburbs. A lack of connectivity to principal employment centres directly impacts on economic opportunity and social mobility.

A thorough, evidence-based infrastructure agenda can assist in reducing congestion and increasing accessibility. That is what this government is delivering. The Future cities: planning for our growing population report by Infrastructure Australia sets out three expansion scenarios for Melbourne and the transport networks needed to accommodate them. Many of these transport projects are already supported by the government, including the Melbourne Airport rail line. For the rail line, there is $5 billion of investment after more than 50 years of waiting. For the Monash Freeway, there will be additional laneways to unlock productivity in Melbourne by reducing congestion along the M1 corridor.

On rail for Monash University, the government has committed $475 million to directly connect to two major university campuses of Monash University to the existing rail network. Of course, significantly, there is regional rail—including $1.5 billion in funding—to improve services on the Ballarat line, the Gippsland line and the North East line and funding for the Murray-Basin Rail Project. On top of that, the recent budget included $50 million for an upgrade to the Geelong line in Melbourne's west. The outer metro M80 Ring Road upgrade will improve traffic flows along one of Victoria's busiest freight corridors. The government has also committed to widening the Tullamarine Freeway from Melrose Drive to Melbourne Airport.

We should never forget the important infrastructure that a growing state like Victoria needs is rail and is also road transport. We can never forget the betrayal of the people of Victoria by the Victorian state government in its abandonment of the East West Link and handing out a billion dollars in subsidies and support directly to private companies to fulfil an election promise they didn't even take seriously. It is a crucial project which is consistently acknowledged by expert opinions as key to Melbourne's future. The Commonwealth is still recording its $3 billion commitment as a contingent liability in the Commonwealth budget in the hope that the insanity that currently dominates the Victorian state government will end, and we will wake up and commit to the East West Link and to building the necessary infrastructure to grow Victoria's future.

There must also be a focus on urban congestion and maintaining our local roads, and in this regard Goldstein residents have much to celebrate in the recent budget. Funding from the Roads to Recovery Program to Bayside City Council will assist with profiling, overlay and line marking for Outer Crescent between St Andrews Street and Barkly Street.

As Liberals, we have a vision for Australia to be an influential, forward looking, modern liberal nation with unparalleled living standards. Over the next 10 years the Commonwealth will be investing over $75 billion in new and upgraded transport infrastructure projects across this great nation. We are taking this country's growth challenges seriously, just as we are in Victoria. I support the position of the government resolutely.

Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Schools) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to be able to say it's a pleasure to follow the member for Goldstein. I would like to—but I will say that it's a pleasure to speak on this matter that the member for Gellibrand has brought before the House. The position of the governments led by the now Prime Minister, the member for Wentworth, and his predecessor, the member for Warringah, can be characterised in terms of Melbourne's infrastructure needs as, first too little, and now too late. The member for Goldstein did talk, correctly, about some of the challenges facing Melbourne—challenges and opportunities generated by the extraordinary growth Melbourne is experiencing. He was right to point to balancing the opportunities that are connected to the benefits of agglomeration, making sure they are effectively harnessed, and the concerns about the lack of accessible transport options to people in outer suburbs. He should have gone on to talk about two other things: the concern that I have, as someone who represents an outer suburban constituency, about Melbourne drifting into two cities—a prosperous core and a series of outer suburbs where the benefits of access to meaningful employment and amenity are not presented. This is a challenge that is faced by other major cities but, in Melbourne it's been exacerbated by two things: one, the extraordinary growth I referred to previously; and secondly, decisions made by the national government which have not benefited Melburnians, particularly those in Melbourne's northern suburbs.

The member for Goldstein referred to the 'thorough, evidence based infrastructure agenda'. What a joke that is, as I'm sure my friend the member for Grayndler will take us to, if he hasn't already in the course of this debate. That is an assessment that is entirely at odds with the record of this government, which started by ripping up the architecture of a national cities policy and the supporting apparatus that could ensure that such policies would be delivered. One of the very first actions of this government was, of course, to end the Major Cities Unit. While the member for Goldstein talked glowingly about current support for passenger rail in Melbourne and regional Victoria, the former Prime Minister refused to fund any urban public transport. He completely walked away from this challenge. It's so rich for government members to talk about how we can harness the benefits of agglomeration in a knowledge-intensive global city like Melbourne at the same time as it is starved of the one way in which people get into those jobs of the future in and around the CBD, which is by heavy rail transport. The starving of funding for this infrastructure has not only had a huge impact on the lives of many commuters; it has stymied the growth, the productivity growth in particular, of Melbourne and, indeed, the Australian economy.

That's the government's record. I want to recognise a government member who has made a very significant impact on this area. She is not a Melburnian; she is from Brisbane. She is the member for Ryan, who bravely led debate from a conservative perspective as a former Brisbane City councillor and in this place. When it wasn't fashionable to talk about cities, the member for Ryan led the debate. She sought to build a bipartisan consensus, and I think she made real progress. But what's her reward been? Her reward has been to lose her preselection. It is incredibly disappointing for anyone who believes in the future articulation and development of the sort of urban policy that can allow all of our cities to thrive to see someone like the member for Ryan no longer in this place—someone who reached out to build consensus, to build the evidence base that is so critical to securing the sort of productivity growth and growth in liveability and sustainability that is essential in what is the world's most urbanised nation.

This motion particularly talks about the challenges and opportunities in Melbourne's west, and the previous speaker spoke glowingly of the federal budget's commitment to the suburbs that he represents. That's not a commitment that I can share in, because the communities that make up the Scullin electorate have not been the beneficiaries of any particular largesse from this government. That stands in stark contrast to the Andrews Labor government, which has committed to the Mernda rail extension, the largest investment in a passenger rail network extension in more than 50 years. We've seen extraordinary commitments to the northern roads package. These are the sorts of commitments that are city-shaping, that are doing the right thing in terms of liveability, sustainability and, of course, boosting productivity—boosting our national income in a sustainable way, investing in our people, their talents and skills.

Julia Banks (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I relish this motion as an opportunity to speak about the Turnbull government's record $75 billion funding in infrastructure and financing over the next decade to get vital airport, road and rail infrastructure projects underway across the country. In my electorate of Chisholm, I have advocated for much-needed infrastructure projects, which will directly improve the transit and commute times of thousands of local residents in my electorate as well as people across Melbourne and, indeed, Victoria.

As a born and bred Melburnian, I am delighted to talk about what the Turnbull government has committed to in the 2018 budget, including $5 billion to deliver the Melbourne Airport rail link; $475 million for the planning and preconstruction of a new rail line to the Monash precinct, including Monash University; and notably $140 million for the Victorian congestion package, including targeted congestion-busting measures which will improve traffic issues from Box Hill to Mount Waverly and from Blackburn South to Burwood in my electorate of Chisholm.

The Turnbull government is taking a pragmatic and measured approach to infrastructure funding and financing that will transform our local communities in Chisholm and across Australia. We ensure value for taxpayers by committing funds that stack up economically and deliver the outcomes we need from our transport infrastructure. The good and hardworking people of Chisholm deserve value for their taxes, and I'm proud to represent them and proud to be a member of the Turnbull government—a government that recognises how important transport infrastructure is in shaping our cities and regions. Our infrastructure agenda is an important component of our national economic plan.

In Chisholm, the Monash rail link will provide a much- and long-needed public transport option for Monash University staff and students and, indeed, for all people who travel to and from this growing business precinct of Monash University and its surrounds. Last week, I joined the minister for infrastructure and development, Paul Fletcher, Minister Tudge and Monash University Chancellor, Simon McKeon, for the project announcement at the Monash University's Clayton campus, where I studied. People from across Victoria are set to greatly benefit from this project, and this funding will provide an essential public transport link in Chisholm.

Further, our approach to infrastructure reflects key policy priorities of the Turnbull government, including driving productivity and efficiency in the Australian economy, supporting economic growth and employment outcomes, and planning for the growth and effective functioning of our cities. The Turnbull government has welcomed Infrastructure Australia's report titled Future Cities and agrees with its key finding that unplanned growth will deliver poor outcomes for Australia's cities. We are addressing the challenges faced by growing cities such as Melbourne through a range of measures, including our Smart Cities Plan. The report further affirms why the Turnbull government is investing in congestion-busting projects like the Monash freeway in Chisholm and the M80 ring-road in Melbourne. Other projects like the $5 billion Melbourne Airport rail link will provide the same basic service that's available at all other major airports. Melbourne has been crying out for an airport rail link for years and years, and this will ease the pressure on existing road networks for commuters and freight operators and create thousands of new jobs for those within the city and, indeed, in regional Victoria.

The Turnbull government is setting out its commitment to a long-term plan to progressively build projects that will deliver nationally significant outcomes over the next decade, growing the national economy, shaping our major cities and ensuring we support the increasing role of our regional centres in providing access to employment opportunities. Crucially, the Turnbull government's commitment to these projects is underpinned by the strong economic growth that is flowing from our national economic plan and from our careful, pragmatic and measured stewardship of our economy. We can pay for these vital projects only by living within our means and by growing our economy, such that we ensure that essential services are provided to all Australians.

The coalition, in contrast to Labor, can be trusted to fund these projects in a sustainable and transparent manner, in a strategic manner and in a pragmatic manner. We are working towards a stronger budget to fund the essential services the people of Chisholm, and Australians nationwide, expect.

Debate adjourned.

Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) recognises the importance of infrastructure to the future prosperity of our nation;

(2) acknowledges the actions the Government is taking in delivering a record $75 billion investment in infrastructure and transport projects focused on building local communities, connecting the regions and our cities, busting congestion and boosting productivity, while creating local jobs;

(3) notes that for the first time, the Government has committed to a 10 year infrastructure investment pipeline with the recently announced significant infrastructure projects; and

(4) congratulates the Government in working to deliver the infrastructure that will help secure Australia’s prosperity into the future.

The Turnbull government is funding and building the infrastructure of tomorrow today. This government is delivering a record $75 billion of investment in infrastructure and transport projects across Australia. This is focused on building local communities, connecting the regions and boosting productivity, all of which create local jobs. The Turnbull government is building the roads, the rail, the dams and other vital infrastructure. The budget, delivered earlier this month, includes over $24 billion for new projects and initiatives benefitting each state and territory. In a first, the government has committed to a 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline. The long-term pipeline recognises our major infrastructure projects take many years to plan, design and deliver, while showing this government will deliver the infrastructure our nation needs into the future, like the $560 million I secured for the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, which is critical infrastructure in the south-west. The sound economic policies and budget decisions of the Turnbull government make it possible to fund this type of infrastructure right around the country.

I fought hard for this road and, to my knowledge, this $560 million investment is the largest single investment project by any federal government ever in the south-west. Completing what is a stranded T-junction will reduce general and holiday congestion, improve safety and provide an efficient freight route to the Bunbury Port and its future expansion, as well as a key route to the Busselton-Margaret River Airport. The road is a major economic driver in the south-west.

Also secured was a $140 million grant and $50 million in a concessional loan in funding for the industry-led Myalup-Wellington project, a project to desalinate the Wellington Dam, and pressurised piping for the gravity-fed irrigation delivery system, as well. It will also provide economic growth through irrigated agricultural—and, as we know, water is our most precious resource. With the drying climate in the south-west, this project is critical. The government is investing in regional cities, regional towns and communities with road upgrades on Mornington Road in Wokalup, Ferguson, Boyanup and Bunbury, to name a few. This investment was over $1.1 million, funded through the Black Spot Program, making our roads safer. Three south-west bridges have or are being upgraded and in Burekup a whole new bridge was built to meet current and future transport needs.

The Turnbull government isn't just focused on transport infrastructure. We're generating economic growth through various projects in many programs, including the Mobile Black Spot towers. The Busselton foreshore redevelopment is funded partly through the Building Better Regions Fund, one that is seeing 20,000 jobs around Australia. As I've explained to the House before, this project is providing a world-class foreshore that further enhances the visitor and local experiences. The Busselton jetty is the second most visited tourist attraction in WA, with over 400,000 visitors annually. This will continue to attract visitors to the region. The Margaret River hub of entertainment, arts and regional tourism is another project that will provide economic growth. It's a multipurpose, flexible complex that will host community, cultural and business events to meet the region's long-term needs.

In addition to the economic benefits the Turnbull government's infrastructure investment creates, there's no doubt that it's contributed to the over one million new jobs created since we were elected to office. It's worth noting that last year recorded the highest employment levels on record, with 415,000 new jobs created—that's over 1,000 new jobs created daily. Again, this success should in part be attributed to our infrastructure investment.

The $9.7 million the government is contributing to the Busselton Margaret River Airport upgrade is very important to freight and regional tourism potential, enabling direct routes from both interstate and international cities, landing them directly in the doorstep of the south-west. This project should never be underestimated, and the possibilities of tourism and food and other things we have to offer in the south-west are endless. The freight component is equally as important.

The Turnbull government's infrastructure investment is bearing fruit right across Australia. Our investment is providing better connectivity and growth opportunities for our regions, as well as creating local jobs.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion.

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

I agree with the first part of the motion, which recognises the importance of infrastructure to the future prosperity of our nation, but, because of this government's record, I move:

Delete all words after point (1) and substitute:

(2) condemns the Government for cutting infrastructure investment from $8 billion in 2017-18 to $4.5 billion in 2021-22;

(3) notes research from the Parliamentary Budget Office which has found Commonwealth investment will fall from 0.4 to 0.2 per cent of GDP over the next decade;

(4) condemns the Government for its incompetence in underspending by $4.7 billion on its own infrastructure investment commitments in its first four budgets;

(5) notes that off budget financing of public transport projects is misleading; and

(6) condemns the Government for failing to deliver investment to construct the Melbourne airport rail line, Western Sydney rail or Brisbane cross-river rail project.

The fact is that this budget is a con when it comes to infrastructure investment. If you look at the forward estimates for this year's budget compared with last year's, there is $2 billion less in this year's forward estimates than there was last year—a $2 billion cut. If that's too difficult for people opposite to comprehend, this year, in 2017-18, the infrastructure investment is $8 billion, and it falls to $4.5 billion; it is there in the budget papers for all to see.

There is no new money in this budget. What there is is an allocation of money that has already been included in previous budgets for specific projects. But that funding is all off into the never-never. When you look at projects like Monash, for example, which was mentioned by a previous speaker, there was $475 million. How much is it over the next four years? It is $20-something million of that. It is all off into the never, never. You had a $5 billion announcement about Melbourne Airport rail line. If you look for money for construction in the budget, there is not a dollar. There is not a dollar for construction. It is just a con—the idea that somehow it can be done for free, that somehow public transport projects in our cities make money. It is not real. You would know, Mr Deputy Speaker Howarth, that the Redcliffe rail line was built as a result of real dollars put into budgets by federal Labor, state Labor and Moreton Bay Regional Council. That's how you build real infrastructure—with real dollars that create real jobs that can get built. That's why, when you look at Western Sydney rail, as well—another big announcement made by the Commonwealth government but with no actual dollars for construction in the budget—not one. $50 million for a study—that is all there is there. And yet this is a rail line that is meant to be opened at the same time as the second Sydney Airport.

Once again in the budget, you see some funding, in the never-never, for Sunshine Coast rail upgrades. But you would know, Mr Deputy Speaker, that in order to have that, you need to have the Cross River Rail project. You can't expand rail on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast or Brisbane without fixing up the capacity constraints from having just one crossing across the Brisbane River.

When you look at what this government has done across the board, it is to substitute reality for just spin and rhetoric. Over the coalition's first four budgets, if you look at what it said it would spend on budget night in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, and go back and look at what was actually invested, the underspend is $4.7 billion—a $4.7 billion underspend on road projects, rail projects, black spots program, Heavy Vehicle Safety Program. On all of those programs there were massive underspends, which then disappears off to Finance and Treasury. This is a government that doesn't have a plan for long-term infrastructure investment, that hasn't produced a pipeline of projects, that has gutted Infrastructure Australia and, therefore, will damage Australia's future economic growth and prosperity.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the amendment seconded?

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the amendment.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the amendment be agreed to.

Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm quite happy to speak to the original motion. The Sunshine Coast has a fast-growing population of more than 330,000 people and lies only 100 kilometres north of Brisbane. Yet for decades we've lived with a deadly two-lane highway and a single-track railway line built in the Victorian period and designed to carry farm produce in steam-shrouded locomotives. It is not good enough. People in our community ran out of patience with our antiquated infrastructure years and years ago.

Since before I was nominated as a candidate to be the federal member for Fisher, I have been determined to try and fix it. We started straightaway. Through my advocacy and that of the federal member for Fairfax and our colleagues in Team Queensland—you're one of them, Mr Deputy Speaker Howarth—in 2016 this government announced $734 million in federal funding to upgrade the Bruce Highway between Caloundra Road and the Sunshine Motorway. $734 million, and those works are actually happening as we speak. This dangerous bottleneck has been the site of too many fatal accidents and is one of the main gateways to our community. It has been inspiring to see the works begin on that stretch and it has spurred us on to do even more. In the 2017 budget we secured another $650 million from the Turnbull government for more upgrades, this time south of Caloundra, to extend the six-lane section, increase flood-proofing and improve important intersections.

After $1.3 billion in just two years, I was hopeful but realistic about what we might achieve for the coast's infrastructure in the 2018 budget, but this government has smashed even my highest expectations. We needed more funds for Bruce to add an extra lane all the way from the coast to Brisbane. We needed upgrades to junctions in North Brisbane to reduce congestion on the way into the city, and north of the coast we knew there was more work to be done to create a safer and more usable highway. The Minister for Infrastructure, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Treasurer listened to the needs of our constituents and responded with three massive additional investments in the 2018-19 budget. The government has allocated $880 million for upgrades between Caloundra and Pine Rivers, which will finally allow us to add an extra lane both ways all the way from Brisbane to the coast. We allocated $150 million for the Murrumba Downs section north of Brisbane to ease congestion at a key bottleneck, which you, Mr Deputy Speaker Howarth, would be well aware of. Finally, just north of my electorate, in the electorate of my friend the member for Wide Bay, the government has committed an extra $800 million to complete section D of the Cooroy to Curra bypass. This government has invested in total $3.13 billion in upgrading the Bruce Highway between the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane—investment which will get our commuters home safer and sooner, giving them more time with the family and less time stuck on what is becoming Australia's largest car park.

The member for Fairfax and I know, however, that we are kidding ourselves if we think that we're going to resolve our transport problems just by adding lanes to the Bruce Highway. We also need to duplicate our antiquated rail line and, if possible, deliver a new high-speed line to service the growing population centres of the coastal strip. Here too the Turnbull government has delivered where too many in the past have not. This budget includes $390 million towards the duplication of the north coast rail between Beerburrum and Landsborough and further upgrades north of Fisher. We need the state Labor government now to get on board and stump up their half of the money required. When they've done that, when they've put in their fair share, these upgrades will deliver more regular and reliable train services and get more freight off the Bruce and onto rail.

I'm delighted to say that the government is also looking to the future and has chosen the North Coast Connect high-speed rail project as one of only three in the country to receive millions of dollars in funding for a detailed business case. This high-speed rail project would deliver 45-minute travel times from Nambour and Maroochydore to Brisbane. I can't wait to see the outcomes of this study and I look forward to advocating for the money needed to build this high-speed rail when we have the results.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Like shadow minister Mr Albanese, I agree that the member for Forrest's sentiment in the original motion before the House is correct. I also agree that investment in infrastructure is critically important to regional development, economic diversification and jobs. However, I was very pleased to second the amendment moved by the member for Grayndler because I think this government, to be quite honest, has a lot to answer for when it comes to infrastructure in regional areas. It wouldn't surprise people to hear me say that, because they've been absolutely appalling in my area—in fact, absolutely absent from all of the issues and challenges we have around infrastructure.

Mr Andrew Pearson, who's a journalist with the Illawarra Mercury, explored the most recent budget. He reported that, when he searched for Wollongong or the Illawarra, he got the simple message: 'no results found to match your search'. This has been the story of this government since the very first budget after they were elected. In the last budget of the Labor government there was $42 million for the Mount Ousley Road upgrades and $50 million to progress the Maldon-Dombarton rail link. In the first budget of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott this government took away that $50 million for progressing that important rail link. That rail links connects south-west and Western Sydney to the port at Kembla.

For the information of the chamber, it's not just me as the Labor member who has acknowledged the significant importance of this rail link; councils, state members and federal members across all political parties who are involved in the seats in that broader region have acknowledged the significant importance of this rail link. We need to get it progressed. In fact, a state government report, which my colleague the member for Wollongong in the state parliament was able to get hold of, tells us that in the very near future if we don't take action there will be at most eight pathways available for freight on the current Illawarra line and potentially none on the eastern seaboard to the port of Kembla.

By contrast—and what frustrates me about this particular debate—these issues are well known, have been well canvassed and have been well reported on, so I'm absolutely at a loss to understand why this government, over all the time it has been in charge since 2013, has not invested anything in the transport infrastructure in Wollongong and the Illawarra more broadly. If it's just because the people had the temerity to elect me as a Labor member, I think that's an absolute indictment on a national government who should have the best interests of the whole nation at heart. By contrast, I just want to make it clear to the chamber that the former federal Labor government invested significantly in infrastructure in my area. There was the $42 million I mentioned for the Mount Ousley Road upgrade, $4 million for a new truck stop on the Mount Ousley Road and $4.67 million in improvements to the Picton Road. There was $28.8 million to progress the Maldon to Dombarton rail link and then a further $50 million added in our final budget. There was $15.7 million towards black spots and local roads. That was significant transport infrastructure. There has been nothing like that, nothing at all, since this government came to power.

Of course, infrastructure doesn't stop at transport infrastructure. There was also investment in communications infrastructure, in health infrastructure, in education infrastructure and in tourism infrastructure in my region, and particularly in my seat, when we were in government. For example, there was $6.6 million towards local parks, footpaths and cycleways; $863,000 towards upgrading the North Beach Bathers' Pavilion; $125,000 for CCTV on the Blue Mile project; and $100,000 for the Sumatran tiger exhibition at Symbio Wildlife Park. In health, there was $12.1 million for the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre at Wollongong Hospital, $5 million for a clinical teaching and training facility at Wollongong Hospital and $950,000 in upgrades to GP clinics. In addition to that, for community infrastructure, there was $457,000 to refurbish the Snakepit for the Illawarra Basketball Association and $3.9 million for repairs and maintenance of public housing. We invested, and it's time this government learnt where Wollongong is.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the original motion, as moved by the member for Forrest, which rightly recognises the importance of infrastructure for the future prosperity of our nation, especially for my electorate of Robertson. With around one in four people across the Central Coast commuting long distances to work each day, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night to their families, local families know all too well why we need the sort of infrastructure that this motion outlines. This includes transport projects focused on building local communities, connecting the regions and our cities, busting congestion and boosting productivity, while also creating local jobs.

These are the sorts of projects the coalition has been delivering in my electorate: NorthConnex, the M1-M2 missing link and M1 upgrades between the Kariong and Somersby interchanges. There's more to come, thanks to the commitment that this government is making to deliver a record $75 billion investment in infrastructure across Australia. For the first time, the government has committed to a 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline. Unlike those opposite who talk of spending without any plan for the economy, we're taking a responsible approach to infrastructure funding and financing that ensures value for taxpayers. We are only committing funds that stack up economically and which deliver the outcomes we need from our transport infrastructure.

Recently, we've seen yet another example of this on the Central Coast, with what has informally been described as 'project 60'. It has aim of getting those hardworking commuters I talked about earlier from the coast to Sydney in 60 minutes. It's one of the hottest issues in my region, and quite rightly, because some say that the old red rattlers could get to Sydney quicker than trains on the Central Coast line these days. There are, of course, a number of good reasons for the current speed issues; but if you're standing in a packed train with no mobile coverage and no seat, just staring at the carriage door, who can blame you for dreaming about a better way and asking your local members to help deliver it? This dream could one day become a reality thanks to this government.

It was fantastic to stand alongside my state colleagues and local business representative Rod Dever at Gosford station recently to commit funding, with the New South Wales government, to help produce a detailed business case aimed at cutting down train travel times between Sydney and Newcastle. The focus will be on reducing times overall on that stretch of track from three hours to just two, including along the Central Coast. I'm advised that the business case will look at options like straightening tracks, upgrading existing infrastructure, such as level crossings, or addressing other needs along what is a complex, mountainous terrain. Having a detailed business case will allow us to do the responsible, essential research to maximise the advantages of such a potential project.

As this work continues over the next 12 to 18 months, we're also rolling out our commitment to continuous mobile phone coverage for commuters along the 60 kilometre-section of track from Wyong to Hornsby. Such is the demand for action on this election commitment, I'm receiving correspondence every few days from people asking for updates, and we've just produced a new commuter newsletter that I'll be handing out at stations over the next couple of weeks to give our hardworking Central Coast commuters the information they need. We'll be telling them that this election commitment is on track, that a tender process is being finalised—with work to start over the next few months—and that better mobile coverage will be switched on by the end of next year.

The federal government is investing $12 million and the New South Wales government $4 million for this. Part of the project is for free wi-fi at train stations as well, which is great for productivity and also to help keep people connected. As Zac from Springfield put it, 'The reception on the train line is shocking, so being able to do laptop work on the train would massively help me and thousands of Coasties.' And—as the Prime Minister said—it'll make work time more productive, enhance leisure time and help families and friends connect. This is one of the most practical things we could do for families on the Central Coast.

We're also hearing the frustrations of commuters who can't get a car space or who are driving in early and sleeping in their cars for an hour from 4 am or 5 am just to get a spot at the local train stations. I've raised this issue with council, and we're looking at every solution possible. We're also running a petition that will be included in our community news. I call on anyone who has this concern to sign the petition and add their voice.

Finally, it must be highlighted that our commitment to these projects is underpinned by the strong economic growth that we've seen in this budget, which is flowing from our national economic plan. We can only pay for these vital projects—projects that make a real and demonstrable difference to communities like mine—by living within our means and by growing our economy. I commend the original motion to the House.

Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Another coalition government budget, and yet another kick in the guts for Canberra. Last year, we saw next to no—well, it was less than one per cent—investment in infrastructure in the budget from this government. It was a paltry $3 million out of a $75 billion spend. And that $3 million went to business reviews, business cases, upgrading lighting and upgrading air-conditioning systems. Yes, some could extrapolate those things to be infrastructure. Most people would probably just regard them as being for a facility upgrade or maintenance of a particular service. But that was the slap in the face that Canberrans got last year from this government, from those opposite, in terms of the infrastructure spend: $3 million out of $75 billion. Deputy Speaker, do you know what that works out to in terms of percentages? It was 0.004 per cent of the infrastructure budget invested in Canberra last year!

This year, we were doing handstands: this year, we got 0.2 per cent of the infrastructure investment budget in our nation's capital—in Canberra. So we were absolutely doing handstands after the appalling level that we got last year. But, again, it was less than one per cent, and it just goes to show the complete and utter disdain that those opposite have for our nation's capital—their complete and utter disdain and their sustained attack. We saw it in 1996, when the government basically decimated the town. The Howard government decimated this town, with 15,000 public service jobs cut, local shopping centres closing down and people leaving town. We went from three federal electoral seats to two, and we've only just got one back, after all this time—after more than 20 years. That's what coalition governments mean for Canberra: decimation, loss of population, loss of jobs and less than one per cent—next to zero—investment in infrastructure.

Compare that to a Labor government. When Labor were in power, we invested in the Majura Parkway—a $144 million investment. The Majura Parkway, after 40 years, finally connected Canberra, from north to south, for the first time. We had one side of Canberra connected, but we had to wait for 40 years for the other side of the town to be connected. That's what Labor's investment in the Majura Parkway did. Labor invested $18.5 million in the Monaro Highway, improving traffic safety congestion and travel times around Canberra. Labor invested $2 million in community infrastructure to upgrade Eddison and Glebe parks.

We invested in education, including $300 million for upgrades and new facilities for primary schools, high schools, and education and training facilities. These investments included $131 million for 136 BER projects in Canberra. This benefitted 67 schools by providing 17 new libraries, 23 multipurpose halls and 29 covered outdoor learning areas. We invested $5.7 million in the Canberra region Pathways training centre at St Mary MacKillop College, St Clare's College and two other schools on the north side. And we invested $8.1 million in the Tuggeranong Sustainable Living Trade Training Centre.

The list goes on. We invested $600,000 to fix six dangerous black spots on local roads. The Regional Cancer Centre at the Canberra Hospital was the product of a $29.7 million investment from a Labor government. Canberra Hospital is a hospital serving not just Canberra, but the capital region. Even our national institutions were better off with a Labor government: $39.3 million was spent to protect historical artefacts and artworks; $20 million went to the National Arboretum; $42 million was spent on the Constitution Avenue upgrade; and $2. 5 million was spent for better lighting at Manuka Oval. These are just some of the important investments Labor have made to Canberra, because we understand that a prosperous nation depends on a prosperous national capital. That requires investment in schools, in hospitals, in roads and in infrastructure. Sir Robert Menzies understood that; it's a pity those opposite don't. (Time expired)

Damian Drum (Murray, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion by the member for Forrest needs to be acknowledged as one that gives everybody an opportunity to talk about the opportunities for their electorates to revel in this unprecedented amount of $75 billion over the next 10 years in relation to infrastructure funding. It's a record amount of spending: an average of about $8 billion per annum in the forward estimates, increasing as this next decade goes on; $33.9 billion between 2018-19 and 2021-22. This ever-increasing amount of funding that the federal government is putting aside for infrastructure—nation-building infrastructure; infrastructure that has the capacity to create further investment—needs to be acknowledged for what it is, and the member for Forrest has done very well to move this motion.

It's also worth acknowledging that this historically high spending on transport infrastructure is happening at exactly the same time that the government is bringing the budget back into surplus. No more are we living in an era where we are spending $100 million a day more than we are actually making. The time has come to reduce our overall spending, when you compare it to GDP, and that's what we've been able to do. We can now show all of Australia that while we are going to have this enormously high level of infrastructure spending, we're also going to be able to return the budget to surplus as early as 12 months away. That is something that everybody in Australia should be rightfully proud of.

As I said earlier, we need to be looking at ways that we can actually take advantage of this situation for our own electorates. We have a $10 billion rail project called the Inland Rail generating this opportunity for our freight to hit the ports of Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, whichever is the preferred option, via rail. This is where my electorate comes into being, because the Port of Melbourne is a very high-profile and high-throughput port. The Goulburn Valley certainly feeds the Port of Melbourne, as we produce so much food—82,000 tonnes of horticulture; 105,000 tonnes of pears, which is 86 per cent of Australia's total pear production; 70 per cent of Australia's total peach production; and over a quarter of Australia's dairy output. The vast majority of that is heading out through the Port of Melbourne. Into the future, we'd like to see that transport put through on a standardised gauge line. It might be emanating from Narrandera/Tocumwal right down through that food bowl of southern New South Wales, coming through the Goulburn Valley and then onto Mangalore, where it will join up with the Inland Rail to a distribution centre to the north of Melbourne, then finding it's then through to the Port of Melbourne.

These types of nation-building infrastructure need to have a fund that can be called on. We certainly need to have a vision, a very clear understanding about what we need to do, about the Goulburn Valley and the Southern Riverina. If it's not going to be the direct route that the Inland Rail is going to go through, then we need to have a very clear vision as to how we can facilitate the transport of all this produce, not to mention the burgeoning cotton industry that also needs to find its way to port.

It's not just rail that we are looking at; the Goulburn Valley has long been in the line for a better road network as well. You'll probably find more trucks registered Shepparton than in any other city in Australia, on a per capita basis. Primarily, that's because it's on all the main routes. Whether you're going east-west from Bendigo across to Wangaratta or whether you're going north-south down the Newell Highway from Melbourne to Brisbane on the Great Inland Way, you'll go through Shepparton. Literally thousands of trucks are registered there, and they're going to need a decent bypass. I know the state will need to do all the pre-work logistics, but once that's done there will need to be serious investment that this government can provide and that other governments have been unable to provide in the past.

Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Industry and Support) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased the member raised this motion. It gives me the opportunity to tie together two things—the theme that I raised in the other chamber earlier this day in relation to the standard of our politics, and infrastructure issues. Certainly we salute the idea of infrastructure as being important for nation building and the future of our nation. Downstairs I spoke about wanting to raise political standards in relation to gender balance, but also in relation to comments made by Senator Molan in the Senate in this building. He has resorted to the lowest form of personal abuse and character assassination in his comments directed at me. In all my time involved in politics, I have never personally insulted or impugned the integrity of any person in this place, ever. I have never personally impugned another member in this place.

An honourable member: On the record!

On the record, and off the record as well. I never impugned anyone's credibility or integrity in this place—never. So the conduct of the senator is quite dishonourable, and I would like him to review that conduct, considering in particular that we have been friends for the last 20 years and I have defended him assiduously against allegations that he was responsible for war crimes in Iraq, which I think were scurrilous assertions. So I would ask him to reconsider his approach to politics. He's only been in this business for five minutes and has already sunk to this degree, possibly under the influence of advisers.

The comments that he made were in association with so-called 'benefits projects' in Eden-Monaro in the budget under infrastructure. He said, 'In my home of Eden-Monaro,' and then went on to refer to a $100 million investment in the Monaro Highway upgrade. Every single cent of that $100 million will be spent in the ACT, so this is money not being spent in Eden-Monaro at all. So it is disingenuous and misleading to state that.

Senator Molan has also commented on a hundred million dollars being allocated to the Barton Highway upgrade package. The coalition—Senator Seselja and many others—have been out there claiming they support full duplication of the Barton Highway and saying they're going to spend this money on it. When we look at it, there's $15 million allocated this financial year. That's going to tree trimming, safety barriers, signage et cetera. Not one cent of that is going to duplication. Then we had the admission, which was pursued by the Yass Tribune, that the $100 million is actually out there in the forward estimates. It's not going to be allocated to duplication, because they've indicated there's going to be a business case into duplication. You can't go out there and say, 'We are going to duplicate,' or, 'There is a commitment to duplication' if you're saying that it all depends on a business case which we're yet to see the details of.

I contrast that with the complete and direct commitment by both the state Labor opposition and the federal Labor opposition, which say, 'We will do full duplication of the Barton Highway if our governments are elected on the usual 80-20 per cent split.' The reason we're so committed is that that project is critical to the economic health of the entire region of southern New South Wales, because we want to exploit the potential in the Port of Eden. That's another disingenuous comment made by Mr Molan—he's claimed that there's $10 million that has been dedicated by the government to the Port of Eden project, with some being allocated from that this year. Every single cent of that $10 million was won by me and put in the bank in June 2013. It's been sitting there, waiting for this project to get rolling. So the money that's being allocated now is against that $10 million, and it was our money; it was Labor's money towards that project. The Port of Eden offers us huge potential in tourism benefits. When that wharf extension project is completed, we'll be able to bring in massive cruise liners at least once a week, which will be bringing in potentially 2,000 tourists at a pop. It will be a great benefit. I want to pay tribute to state coalition colleagues who've weighed in for the extra money to make that project a goer. It shows that we're all signing up to the vision and potential of the Port of Eden.

Our cherry growers in the west want to come across and start using international freight out of Canberra Airport. Our oyster growers on the coast—all our great primary producers in this region—want to use the potential that Canberra international airport provides us. The Barton Highway will be a key piece of that, including for the upgrades of the Visy pulp mill and also for the benefits of the renewable energy projects we're going to see. So this is critical infrastructure. I'd just ask the government to get on with it.

Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for the debate having expired, the debate is interrupted. The resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 18:53