Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to acknowledge and thank the member for Forrest for moving the original motion, because we, as the Liberal government, are doing fantastic things in the infrastructure space. My community in my electorate of Boothby is seeing firsthand the benefits of our government's record $75 billion investment in infrastructure and transport projects. Infrastructure is the No. 1 priority for the Morrison government, and it's the No.1 priority for me in my electorate. Whether it's fixing the Oaklands crossing or making it easier and quicker and safer to get across South Road or along South Road at Darlington, whether it's getting the freight train out of the hills—again, for really important safety reasons—or stopping trucks from coming down Cross Road, this is my focus.

As we heard today in question time, the Morrison government is busting congestion. We are congestion busters, as the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population told the parliament today. We are doing this so my local residents can get to work more quickly and get their kids to school more safely and so we can all get around our community more easily, whether that is getting to Flinders Medical Centre, which is Adelaide's biggest hospital, getting to Flinders University, which is where I went to university, or just getting to the local shops. When I was the candidate for Boothby and, now, as the member for Boothby, I have fought for and secured funding for a range of different road and rail projects. This is because I listened to my community very carefully about which roads were bothering them most and about which rail lines needed to be worked on.

At the top of this list, without a doubt, was the Oaklands crossing problem. We have had a problem in my community for 40 long years at the Oaklands crossing, and I am so proud that I was the first member of parliament to ever secure a funding commitment—a very significant funding commitment of $40 million—to fix the Oaklands crossing once and for all. I was then able, once elected, to secure an extra $55 million to see this project go ahead. The overall project to fix Oaklands crossing is worth $174.5 million and it is already underway.

I remember doorknocking when I was the candidate, and after I'd been elected: people didn't believe that this would ever be fixed, because it had been a problem for four decades. Well, as my local community and my local residents know, it's being fixed right now. The construction is well and truly underway, and I am absolutely delighted. I'm delighted for the 41,000 motorists who sit at the boom gates every single day trying to get through. I'm delighted for everyone who's trying to get to work, or to go shopping at Westfield Marion, and for all of our wonderful young and not-so-young people who swim at the Olympic-standard aquatic centre. This project helps them get there more quickly and more safely. And I'm delighted for all of the mums and dads—and, I know, a lot of grandparents as well—who do the school drop-off and pick-up every day at a lot of the local primary schools nearby. This is what our government is focused on: fixing these terrible traffic problems for people.

I'm also really proud of the fact that I was able to secure a $43 million commitment to get the Tonsley train line extended up to Flinders Medical Centre and Flinders University, which will finally link this incredibly important precinct with the city. It will also link Flinders Medical Centre with all of the fabulous health, research and hospital facilities that are now on North Terrace near the train station. It will also help my local residents to get to Flinders Medical Centre in particular, but also to the university, which will take pressure off parking at the site, which is absolutely critical.

At the same time as doing the rail-line extension of Tonsley up to Flinders, we have invested $496 million of federal money into the Darlington upgrade. On the weekend we saw the transportation and installation of the northern section of the Ayliffes Road bridge. This is an engineering feat. It is so exciting. The manner in which they have built and moved these sections of bridge into place has been an Australian first. I encourage everyone to jump on to Facebook and see the videos.

We're doing so much more. I note the former assistant minister here, who did some wonderful work on black spots and the Roads to Recovery program that's fixed so many road problems for people in my electorate. I will continue to fight for the people of Boothby to bust congestion across my electorate.

Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow infrastructure minister, the member for Grayndler, for his amendments to this motion. My electorate of Herbert has received zero funding for infrastructure from this coalition government in the last two budgets. In fact, prior to the last two budgets I wrote to the then Treasurer and now Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, calling on him to match Labor's commitments for the following vital infrastructure: $100 million for long-term water security, $200 million for energy infrastructure, and $75 million for the Townsville port expansion. But, sadly, none of these were delivered in either budget. Labor has been on the front foot regarding these really vital infrastructure projects, because Labor is aware that these projects will create much-needed local jobs, boost the economy and increase industry confidence.

However, last week the newly elected Prime Minister came to Townsville and, in a great show of catch-up—and 197 days after Labor announced their $75 million for the port expansion commitment—the LNP government has committed to this project. Just like with the stadium, the funding has been dragged from this government when we have brought them kicking and screaming to the funding table. The question is: why is this government always playing catch-up? Clearly, it is because they are so out of touch with regional communities like Townsville. The port expansion project is a no-brainer. It has been in development for over 10 years. It has had a business case that stacks up, demonstrating the positive impact for the Townsville community. But we witnessed 197 days of inaction from this chaotic government—inaction that Townsville continues to experience from this government, especially regarding the extremely important water security and energy infrastructure projects. Where are the Prime Minister and his government on water and energy infrastructure for Townsville? How long will my community have to wait until we see real action from the Morrison government? Another 197 days or longer?

The people of my community are not fools. They are well aware that Labor has led the charge on the Townsville port expansion, just as we did on the Townsville stadium. I find it absolutely laughable that the Morrison government believes that just because you change your leader you have changed the inaction of the past. The people of Townsville will not forget this out-of-touch government and the fact that it is not taking our water security and energy infrastructure needs seriously. As the Treasurer, Scott Morrison delivered nothing for our community. Why would we expect anything to change just because he has changed his job?

Nevertheless, where the coalition is failing, Labor is certainly leading and delivering. Recently Labor announced that we will invest $500 million to deliver a staged upgrade of Queensland's inland road network. This will deliver up to 3,000 kilometres of better, safer roads and up to 300 wider, stronger bridges. Labor's announcement will see an estimated 13,000 direct and indirect jobs in Queensland over the next decade, along with an additional $2.5 billion in economic growth to the regional Queensland economy. Half of Queensland's economic activity takes place outside of Brisbane. Queensland is Australia's most decentralised state, and for far too long crucial regional roads have not received the attention that they deserve. Queensland transports a greater volume of cattle by road than any other state, and that makes up half of Australia's cattle herd. The industry employs around 20,000 Queenslanders. This investment not only improves safety on key freight routes but will help reduce the cost of transporting cattle to market. This investment is a big boost for the Queensland economy, particularly regions that are feeling the impact of the drought. Just like every infrastructure project that Labor invests in, we will insist on Australian materials and Australian jobs, and we will make sure that one out of every 10 people working on these projects will be an Australian apprentice.

I must commend the strong advocacy and work of the Inland Queensland Road Action Plan, which brings together 28 local government areas, five Regional Development Australia committees and the RACQ. I know how hard they have worked on this, and I am proud to stand with the united Labor team that will see this project come to fruition.

The coalition government has cut infrastructure investment from $8 billion in 2017-18 to $4.5 billion in 2021-22. Commonwealth investment will fall from 0.4 per cent to 0.2 per cent of GDP over a decade. This coalition government fails the fairness test on infrastructure and it certainly fails the investment tests in areas like Townsville. The country is at a standstill, and it is because of this government. Only Labor will invest in the infrastructure that regional communities need, and only Labor will invest in infrastructure that will kickstart the country again, create Australian jobs and boost the Townsville economy.

Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian government is committed to investing an unprecedented $75 billion in transport infrastructure across Australia over the next 10 years. It's because we know that infrastructure matters and, as a key ingredient of our modern life, it affects the competitiveness of every business in Australia. It gets food to our shops, power to our homes and workers to their jobs and allows us to export wealth and natural resources to our foreign markets. When we invest in infrastructure, we invest in growth, we invest in jobs and we invest in tomorrow, which is why the government is investing $75 billion in transport infrastructure, as I said.

That's why I totally reject the amendment put forward by the member for Grayndler. I know he knows much better, but the underhand political shot is in the DNA of the Labor Party. Selective quoting and misrepresenting of budget figures is stock in hand, and so it is here. The member for Grayndler—and the member for Herbert just backed it up—well knows that the federal government has a wide range of investment models, including direct grants, which the member for Grayndler quotes while disingenuously ignoring huge equity investments like the NBN, Snowy Hydro 2.0, Badgerys Creek or the rerailing of the Adelaide to Tarcoola railway line in my own electorate. He ignores government loans which provide the bankability for higher risk programs and, importantly, provide the multiplier effect. The half-truth is anything but the truth. An intentional half-truth is a lie. That is the premise of the amendment put forward by the member for Grayndler, and I reject it.

In my electorate, the advent of the coalition government in Canberra and, more latterly, the Liberal government in South Australia has breathed new life into infrastructure. I'm particularly pleased to have been able to deliver a suite of critical improvements to surface transportation under the new investment plan. Two weeks ago I was joined by the Deputy Prime Minister and minister for infrastructure, Michael McCormack, the state minister for infrastructure, Stephan Knoll, and the state member for Narungga, Fraser Ellis, to announce a long overdue overpass just north of Port Wakefield. It will extend from the dual carriageway, which is currently two kilometres to the south, through the town, and a little over a kilometre to the north. It will have $72 million from the Commonwealth and $18 million from the state in an 80-20 split.

The overpass will provide a proper long-term solution to the congestion, particularly at holiday times, at the junction of the Copper Coast Highway, commonly referred to as 'crash corner'. Every parent will breathe a sigh of relief as they send their kids off back to Adelaide at the end of the long holidays and avoid the two hours of backed-up traffic around Port Wakefield. It's a vital investment to improve flow and safety of tourist traffic and the ever-increasing freight load—to the north, all the way to Darwin and, to the west, all the way to Perth.

Another example of the government's commitment to infrastructure improvements in the electorate of Grey is the duplication of the Joy Baluch AM bridge in Port Augusta. The 50-year-old bridge is a link in the national land transport network and the national tourist routes and it binds the city of Port Augusta together. But it provides only one lane in each direction and, since the closure of the historic Great Western Bridge to foot traffic in March last year, carries all the foot traffic on a narrow, unprotected walkway within centimetres of trucks weighing more than 100 tonnes. Sometimes traffic flows are interrupted by accidents, and the alternative route, more than 35 kilometres around, is not an all-weather route. Emergency services in Port Augusta are all based on the east side, which means that the west side is totally exposed.

I personally brought Ministers Chester, Frydenberg, Tehan and McCormack to see the bridge firsthand and illustrate the urgency of its duplication. That is why I'm so pleased that the government has recognised the urgency of this project and will push forward its $160 million investment in this long wanted and waited-for project. Consequently, the duplication of the bridge is expected to be completed in 2021.

Port Augusta is the crossroads of the nation. Similarly to Port Wakefield, everything travelling north, east, south and west travels over that bridge at Port Augusta, including the Sydney traffic. Both of these projects, Port Wakefield and Port Augusta, are incredibly important pieces of infrastructure. Sadly, neither was possible until we had a coalition government in Canberra and a Liberal government in South Australia. It is this side of politics, despite all the huffing and puffing from the other side of the chamber, that actually understands the true potential of rural and regional Australia and is willing to invest in it and back it to the hilt.

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

I just wish those opposite would realise the true potential of their nation's capital and make the appropriate investment in infrastructure for that, too.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Do you want to hear the figures? Those opposite have got up and talked about the importance of infrastructure to a regional centre's or a suburban centre's prosperity, to its economic future, to its—

Government members interjecting—

You have talked about the importance of infrastructure investment to an area's prosperity and its future, yet for some reason Canberra is just one big blind spot. This is your nation's capital. This is a population of 415,000 and growing. It's a population that—

A government member interjecting—

So, because it's the most highly educated population and because of the average income, we shouldn't get investment? Do you want to hear the investment figures, or the lack thereof? Do you want to hear about the complete disdain that those opposite have for our nation's capital? The fact that we're getting lip from that side—

A government member interjecting—

What? So these people here, these Canberrans, all have two heads, do they? They all have two heads, they earn too much money and they're too well educated. So all of you up here do not deserve any investment in infrastructure according to those opposite. Do you want to hear the figures?

A government member interjecting—

You're going on about how fantastic it is, a $75 billion investment in infrastructure. You're high-fiving—how fantastic it is! Do you know how much Canberra got in the last budget? We got 0.2 per cent of the national infrastructure investment last budget. As you can see, Canberrans are doing handstands down Northbourne Avenue as a result of that investment!

This is what those opposite think about our nation's capital. This is what they think about the people who live in our nation's capital, what they think about our public servants, our servants of democracy, who are actually serving their government. This is what those opposite think about you, Canberra. This is what the Morrison government, formerly the Turnbull government, formerly the Abbott government, think about you: in this budget 0.2 per cent of the national infrastructure investment and in the last budget the princely sum of 0.004 per cent of the investment in infrastructure.

We have everyone in the chamber very much face-down now, looking at their emails—

A government member interjecting—

What was that? A bit more investment than 0.2 per cent of infrastructure investment would be greatly appreciated, and bit more than 0.004 per cent. Essentially, what those opposite have said—and I'm looking forward to sharing this with Zed Seselja—is that Canberrans are too highly educated, they earn too much money, and essentially everyone here has two heads; therefore we are not worthy. In 2018 the nation's capital has a population of 415,000 and services a capital region of about 800,000. Those opposite basically don't think that you are worthy of infrastructure investment. The figures that we had from the budgets this year and last year underscore that. There was a $75 billion investment in infrastructure, and Canberra got 0.2 per cent this year and 0.004 per cent last year.

In the short time I have available, in defending my community from the disdain and contempt of those opposite, I'll point out that in 1996 we saw this community absolutely decimated—15,000 Public Service jobs gone. Under you lot we've lost 10,000 and we're still counting. You have nothing but complete disdain, scorn and contempt for our nation's capital and the people of Canberra. It is a community that serves your government. They are proud to serve your government and they do it professionally, willingly and with loyalty. How do you repay them? You repay them with complete and utter contempt and disdain.

Because you're too educated and because you earn too much money, you're not going to get any infrastructure investment, Canberra, even though you are our nation's capital. That's what those opposite think of you—0.2 per cent of infrastructure investment in the budget this year and 0.004 per cent last year. It absolutely underscores the contempt and disdain the Liberals have for our nation's capital.

Keith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Firstly, I congratulate the member for Canberra, who is a passionate advocate for her community. Whilst I don't agree with many of the things she said, she is definitely a passionate advocate. Can I say to the member for Canberra: in the gap between parliamentary sittings, in my home state we had seven fatalities in seven days on the Bruce Highway. I don't think that anyone in this place would take away an opportunity to reduce those risks. I acknowledge that there are lots of people who do work here in Canberra on behalf of the public and I congratulate them on their work, but I'll be the first to advocate that we should share that wealth with the rest of the country, and I am a supporter of decentralisation.

Back to the matter at hand, I point out to the member for Herbert, who stated very publicly in her contribution that there was no infrastructure spending in Townsville in the seat of Herbert, that I'm fairly confident there is a giant brand-new stadium in Townsville. I'm very confident that there has been money invested in roads. In fact, Townsville received a city deal under this government, which has been of great benefit to the people of Townsville. I acknowledge Phillip Thompson, who has been picked as the Liberal National Party candidate for Herbert, a veteran and advocate for veterans. I think he will do an outstanding job, and I'm sure he looks forward to the contest.

Coming back to the matter at hand, I have to say that the Labor Party can be a bit cute, particularly the member for Grayndler—he does cute exceptionally well. His claims there are cuts in infrastructure budget—they're just making them up. You need to consider the fact that there is equity, that there are loans and that the total investment package is enormous. We are investing $75 billion over the next 10 years under our Infrastructure Investment Program. The member for Grayndler also makes points about payments. Payments are made for milestones. Unless the member for Grayndler is suggesting that the Australian taxpayer should pay for things which have not yet been delivered, I think he may well have his numbers incorrect. Things change on projects all the time, particularly ones which are large. I know it hasn't rained for some time in your area, Mr Deputy Speaker Gee, but it actually does rain, and that affects projects. Things shift and, unless you meet your project milestones, you don't get your money. They are taxpayer funds after all.

Let's look at what is happening in Queensland, my home state. I congratulate the Minister for Infrastructure Transport and Regional Development and the previous infrastructure ministers on their commitment to the Bruce Highway. That coastal highway is the lifeline into regional Queensland. Some $10 billion has been committed since 2013. Unfortunately, if you are killed on a national highway, odds are you were driving on the Bruce Highway in Queensland. We are looking to invest as much as possible to improve the safety of that incredibly important piece of infrastructure.

The people of my electorate are concerned. We've upgraded a number of intersections: an $8 million upgrade near Childers; $6 million for an overtaking lane north of Howard, a small town in the middle of the electorate; $4½ million to widen a four-kilometre stretch near Adies Road at Apple Tree Creek; $7.1 million for the widening of the highway for 2.2 kilometres near Wongi State Forest south of Torbanlea, where we tragically had an incident which resulted in a fatality just months ago; $700,000 for widening the seven-kilometre stretch near Booyal; $3.4 million for road-widening works near Pig Creek and Little Pig Creek between Childers and Torbanlea; and $14.9 million towards the Apple Tree Creek upgrade. This is real money that makes real improvements to safety on those roads. It also makes them less affected by flooding, which is very important in Queensland, where we get the monsoon in the north and very unstable weather patterns.

When we're looking to build our economy, this linking infrastructure is incredibly important. Just last week in conjunction with the Bundaberg Regional Council we announced $2.5 million for an upgrade for Buss Street at the Port of Bundaberg under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. This is an area where our economy can continue to grow. The Knauf factory in the regional town of Bundaberg has now been completed and is manufacturing plasterboard for distribution throughout Queensland. That couldn't have happened without support for a gas pipeline, and they do need the connecting infrastructure. The port already exports wood pellets and sugar. They are looking for further opportunities, so connecting infrastructure is incredibly important. Under the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative in the last budget some $3.5 billion was committed towards that linking infrastructure. In Hervey Bay $500,000 was announced just last week for heavy vehicle parking at Nikenbah under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. This will allow a safe area for the disconnection and decoupling of B-doubles and semitrailers to allow them to move safely into the city of Hervey Bay. These are important things for the people we represent. The linking infrastructure helps build our economy. A stronger economy means more jobs, which is what we're all about, particularly in regional Australia.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I acknowledge the previous speaker's points in relation to regional Australia and the importance of good roads that save lives. It is true that we have a lot of road-building to do, but I thank the member for Forrest for moving this important motion and bringing to the attention of the chamber this issue of the need for infrastructure investment as it gives me the opportunity to expose some of the false and misleading claims by the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government. The previous speaker talked about the Bruce Highway. In the lead-up to the 2016 election, I remember coalition members congratulating Labor on their previous investment in the Bruce Highway, which was four times that of the coalition.

I'm very sorry to say that this lack of commitment to investment in infrastructure extends to the Northern Territory. We heard the honourable member say, 'What about regional areas?' I come from a regional area, the Northern Territory. It's had a 75 per cent reduction in infrastructure spending over the forward estimates. That's in the latest budget. That's for the Northern Territory, not Canberra. All jurisdictions need funding for infrastructure, because it grows the economy. Canberra needs it; the Territory needs it. Quite frankly, territorians, whether they be in the ACT or in the Northern Territory, are sick and tired of being treated like second-class citizens by this muppet government and those opposite.

I do support the motion's first paragraph, because Labor too recognises the importance of infrastructure to the nation's future prosperity. However, I can't support the spurious claims made in the rest of the motion. Frankly, I'm surprised at the audacity—perhaps naivety—of the member for Forrest in bringing forward this motion, which exposes the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison muppet government's neglect of investment in infrastructure for our nation's future. As has become abundantly clear and as those opposite understand, this government, in what has culminated over the past few weeks, has shown that it has absolute interest only in its own survival and in clinging to office, with no interest whatsoever in the future of the nation. Infrastructure—roads, rail and ports—takes years to plan and build, beyond three-year parliamentary terms. It needs vision to look at the longer term. The previous speaker talked about linking up infrastructure. I am not an expert on the inland rail, but I understand that it doesn't actually link anything to any ports whatsoever. Perhaps its purpose is different, other than the national interest.

It's pretty clear that this government doesn't have a 10-year plan. We have seen recently with leaks in the Herald Sun that have come from the coalition government that it is only going to release details on infrastructure plans when it suits it politically. Regardless of regional businesses in the Northern Territory—in Darwin and Palmerston, the electorate that I represent—it has already been 510 days since a city deal was promised. This is infrastructure for Darwin that was promised 510 days ago, but the leaks from inside the current federal government tell us that it is only interested in cynical politicking and will only announce its commitment to our city deal during the election. I hope the election is in the next couple of months, but it may be as much as nine months away, and this government is going to hold on to this infrastructure announcement until then. That doesn't speak to the national interest. It doesn't speak to the importance of Darwin, as the northern capital of Australia, to be a real driving engine of the Australian economy. It just reeks of the politics that those opposite have shown us in spades in the last month.

Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has now expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.