Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Will the Deputy Prime Minister update the House on recent announcements of nation-building and job-creating regional infrastructure, including in New South Wales? Is the Deputy Prime Minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd be happy to update the member for Page on our nation-building infrastructure program. I'd also be happy to update him on any alternatives. The answer to both is jobs—a million jobs. How exciting is that—a million jobs created under this government's policies by small and medium family enterprises, not necessarily by government but by business. And the alternative I'm asked about is also about losing jobs, making sure that the road and rail projects that we're putting into place will be in jeopardy if those opposite get into power.

The member for Page was there last week at the Coffs Harbour Bypass announcement, along with the member for Cowper. There was $971 million to that project, which is going to save lives, ease congestion and make sure that people get to their destinations sooner and safer. That $971 million is going to create hundreds upon hundreds of jobs in the construction phase. We're delivering nation-building infrastructure through our $75 billion decade-long infrastructure pipeline. That's all about creating jobs in the construction phase, connecting regional communities—that's even more jobs—and making sure that people get home sooner and safer. That's what it's all about.

I'm asked about the actual pipeline. We look at the $3½ billion for roads of strategic importance—not necessarily national highways but indeed those secondary link roads in regional Australia, connecting regional communities and connecting farm gates to ports to markets. There is $1 billion for the M1 Pacific Motorway upgrades, $600 million for the Northern Australia Roads Program, and $744½ million for the Black Spot Program—again, a program saving lives. I was in Darwin standing on the corner of Lee Point Road and Union Terrace. That's a black spot funding program that is going to save lives. It will. The intersection has already cost one life and far too many casualties. It's been identified by government, and it will be fixed. There is $4.8 billion for the Roads to Recovery program, enabling local councils to decide which roads they feel are in need of an upgrade.

While I was in Darwin, I chaired the Transport and Infrastructure Council meeting. We all agreed to work together, and there were ministers of all political persuasions delighted at the budget announcements, delighted at the $75 billion worth of infrastructure rollout that we're doing, and prepared to work collaboratively and cooperatively with the Commonwealth to ensure that we roll out that pipeline, to ensure that we connect regional communities and to ensure that we ease congestion in our capital cities. That's what we're getting on with the job of doing—creating jobs, creating better infrastructure and building a better Australia.