Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why won't the Prime Minister admit to what this table from his own minister's department shows—that not a single project, not one, under the Urban Congestion Fund, announced over 18 months ago, has actually commenced?

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Ballarat for her question. What I can confirm is that we have 130 projects underway right now, as we speak, supporting thousands of people in work across the country. On top of that, we have 280 major projects underway as we speak. If I could find the list I could go through, one after another, those projects which are well underway. We also have 166—

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

The minister will resume his seat. 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

I'm trying to help him out, Mr Speaker.

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

What's the point of order?

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

It's on direct relevance. The question was about the Urban Congestion Fund. There's not a single project underway—not one.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The minister has the call.

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On top of the 130 major projects which we have underway, we've also got 166 smaller-scale Urban Congestion Fund projects which we announced before the election, and we are working in close consultation with state governments to get them going. The first ones will begin at the end of this year. I've just mentioned ones in Brisbane which will begin at the beginning of next year.

But, she asks me again, what about projects which haven't started? There are two projects which haven't started. The one I mentioned last time which hasn't started is the East West Link. That is one that we do want to get underway. We've got $4 billion on the table to get this started. The Labor Party constantly says: 'Bring forward projects. Get them done.' Well, there's a project with $4 billion ready to go, if only the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Ballarat would pick up the phone to their state counterparts and just say, 'Let's get the job going.' The other one, which I know is also strongly supported over in Western Australia, is of course the Roe 8/Roe 9 project—another project which we would like to see delivered. They are the ones that are not being delivered. But our other projects are absolutely getting underway and delivering on our agenda of 166 smaller-scale projects which we're negotiating with state governments on. We're getting the job done, and they'll begin at the end of this year.

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

Is the member for Ballarat seeking to table a document?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek to table the table from his own department which shows that not a single project under the Urban Congestion Fund has started.

Leave not granted.