Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the Albanese Labor government reforming Infrastructure Australia to ensure that all communities benefit from Commonwealth infrastructure investment, and why is this reform needed?

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

I thank the member for Parramatta for the question. This government is getting on with the job of delivering the infrastructure that our nation needs, creating jobs and growing the economy, whilst not increasing pressure on inflation. I heard an interjection before from the member for New England about how Inland Rail is going. It's going better than it was under you, when there was a $31 billion blowout in cost. It's better than it was under you. We've delivered our reforms to the Infrastructure Investment Program that will see over 400 nation-building projects completed or substantially delivered over the next 10 years. We've released our infrastructure policy investment statement that will guide Commonwealth infrastructure investment into the future, and we, of course, are making record investments in programs like Roads to Recovery and the Black Spot Program for every single council. There are no colour-coded spreadsheets; that investment is for every single council across the country.

Last night, the parliament finally passed the reforms for Infrastructure Australia, delivering on our election commitment to restore the organisation to being the Commonwealth's premier adviser on major infrastructure investment in this country. Of course, under the Liberals and Nationals, Infrastructure Australia had lost direction. It was full of political appointments and its advice on infrastructure matters was often ignored. Under the Liberals, we saw significant pork-barrelling when it came to the Infrastructure Investment Program. When presented with our proposal to reform Infrastructure Australia, the Liberals and Nationals refused to engage with the government and tried for months to obstruct passage of the bill to this critical legislation.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for New England is warned.

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

They diminished Infrastructure Australia when in government and they were determined to do it again from opposition. Nevertheless, we worked to ensure the passage of this bill through the parliament, and our reforms mean that Infrastructure Australia has a properly defined mandate that will improve the evaluation of infrastructure proposals across the country—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Fisher is warned.

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

and provides government with a more targeted infrastructure priority list—a list that will mean that nationally significant infrastructure proposals are prioritised for consideration by the Australian government in the unique co-investment position we are in. We are reducing duplication with states and territories and improving evaluation of infrastructure projects, and we're creating stronger governance—comprised of three expert commissioners supported by an advisory council—ending, frankly, the coalition's record of appointing their mates to this significant economic body. Underpinning this, sound infrastructure investment decisions make an important contribution to productivity. This is the Albanese Labor government getting on with its election commitments, getting on with the job of delivering and, frankly, cleaning up the mess of those economic vandals opposite. (Time expired)