Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that for every $100 of the Roads of Strategic Importance fund, only 50c will be spent in Queensland this year?

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

We are getting on with funding roads of strategic importance and projects in Queensland. I have asked Mark Bailey, the minister responsible, to bring forward projects. We're getting on with making sure that we build the roads, build the ports and do everything that we need to do, as a government, to build a better Queensland. We're getting on with the job of making sure that, if it comes to Queensland, or, indeed, to any state or territory, we're building Roads of Strategic Importance. Those opposite wouldn't ever have funded a program such as Roads of Strategic Importance, because they never ever worried about a regional program—unless they could rort it. And, speaking of the chief rorter, here she is.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will resume his seat. The member for Ballarat?

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

I do have a point of order, but I would also like to ask the minister to withdraw the imputation that he made just then.

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

I withdraw.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister. The member for Ballarat?

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

Thank you. The question was very tight—

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

No, you need to state what the point of order is.

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

Sorry—on relevance: the question was very tightly worded. It was about asking the minister to confirm, on the Roads of Strategic Importance, that only 50 per cent—

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

The member for Ballarat will resume her seat. The member for Ballarat has already been warned. She does not have the call. The Deputy Prime Minister is in order.

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

Of the 26 announced ROSI corridors, nine have had specific projects announced. Eight have already undergone significant planning work and local consultation—and that is important. When you build a road, you have to conduct local consultation. That's already been undertaken, including on the Toowoomba to Seymour corridor, through the Newell Highway strategy; the Barton Highway; Karratha to Tom Price—appreciating that not all of these are in Queensland, Member for Oxley! But it's important to note.

Let me tell you: when the Liberals and Nationals are in government, we fund 80 per cent of regional road projects, whereas when those opposite are in government—and thankfully that has not been too often in recent years—it's been only 50 per cent. When we fund it, it's an 80-20 split with states or territories; for those opposite, invariably it is just fifty-fifty. So that's a significant saving for those states in those areas where we're funding road progress.

We can talk about the wheat belt secondary freight network corridor in Western Australia. We are providing funding, whether it's in Queensland or any state, providing those vital linkage points. When it came to the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, a project that started under our government and finished under our government—

An honourable member interjecting—

Sure it's not, but it's certainly making sure that, if you're a truck driver, they full well understand—I don't know whether you've been in a truck lately—that they can now drive west of Toowoomba 140 kilometres—

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

I'd say to the Deputy Prime Minister, he needs to confine himself to the subject matter of the question.

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

Well, it is a road. It is strategically important. And a truck driver can drive 140 kilometres west of Toowoomba and arrive at the Port of Brisbane without a set of traffic lights. That's delivery. That's what the Liberals and Nationals do. When it comes to the Roads of Strategic Importance, when it comes to blackspot funding, when it comes to great northern roads, when it comes to the Beef Roads program, we are getting on and building them. Those opposite, when they had six years of opportunity to do it, just talked about it.

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

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

The member for McEwen has been warned. He's continued to interject, unfortunately, so he can go and interject at the television in his office and leave under standing order 94(a).

The member for McEwen then left the chamber.

And I've got quite a list of people who've been warned.