Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again addressed to the Prime Minister. When announcing his government's commitment to the upgrade of Linkfield Road between the northern Brisbane electorates of Petrie and Dickson, did the Prime Minister tell the people of Petrie and Dickson that his own budget numbers show no funding for the project until 2026-2027?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can tell the Australian people and in particular the members in Brisbane and their constituents, is our plan is going to deliver in this year alone $2.7 billion worth of infrastructure investment in Queensland. Just this year! Between the time we were first elected and out to the end of—

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

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, it was a really specific question—no preamble. It went to his own budget profile. I seek leave to table the budget profile provided by the department to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, showing $18.75 million in 2026-27 is the first time there is a single dollar for this project. Did he tell the voters when he announced the road that it was coming in 2026? I ask leave to table it. I'm trying to help him.

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

For the Leader of the Opposition, my longstanding practice has been if the document's already a parliamentary paper, we're not just going to keep re-tabling them.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm trying to help!

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

Well, you're not helping me!

Opposition members interjecting—

I'm presuming those on my left want me to rule on the point of order rather than keep discussing it? The Leader of the Opposition is right: there was no preamble and the question was pretty specific. However, the Prime Minister is entitled to a preamble himself in answering it, and I think the Prime Minister has done that and if he wishes to now address himself to the question that was asked he can.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It seems the smugness of the opposition hasn't changed, Mr Speaker. It seems the little stunts and the arrogance haven't filtered away, despite having at the last election the lowest primary vote for the Labor Party in over 100 years. That was the response from the members of the electorate of the member for Dickson and of so many members around this country.

Ms Catherine King interjecting—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

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

The member for Ballarat's now warned. The Prime Minister was entitled to respond to the bit of paper that was thrown across the table at him. That's why I'm allowing him to do that. He will now bring himself to the question. If members on my left don't want the Prime Minister or ministers to address certain remarks they might cease handing documents across when they're not asked. The Prime Minister can now address himself to the substance of the question.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I was seeking to do before the Leader of the Opposition had got to his feet, I was simply pointing out the volume of expenditure that is being undertaken in Queensland, including in Brisbane, by this government to ensure we're delivering on the congestion-busting projects and all the other projects that are going to ensure that our economy is driven forward and that jobs are going to be created.

As the Leader of the Opposition has just indicated, the transparency of the arrangements for these projects is set out in the budget papers. I'm pleased that the Leader of the Opposition reads the budget papers. That's why we have them. That's where we set them all out. Given he has referred to these budget papers in putting his question, let me simply say this: what we put in our budget was our entire plan. When the Treasurer came and referred to these projects and so many others he set them out before this parliament, and then we set out that entire plan before the Australian people. The Australian people endorsed that plan for a stronger economy because the Australian people endorsed the economic leadership of the government, and they rejected completely the $385 billion of higher taxes that those opposite wanted to put on the Australian economy. So the Australian people couldn't have been clearer to them about what we were offering and they couldn't have been clearer in their rejection of the Labor Party, who had the lowest primary vote for the Labor Party in more than 100 years.

Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why did yours go down as well?

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

The member for Shortland will cease interjecting.