Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. When the budget is handed down by the Treasurer this evening, it will include a budget line labelled 'decisions taken but not yet announced'—billions of dollars to be spent, but we won't know where or on what. As we approach the next election, can you guarantee that your government will not pork barrel these funds to win votes in marginal seats?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In spite of the representations I'll receive from those in that corner and have done in the lead-up to this evening—and I'll outline them all one by one if you like, Member for Indi—what we will do is make sure that our investments are ones that are nation building. If you look at the work that the minister for infrastructure, for example, has done, it's to put integrity back in the system. That's why she did the review and that's why we're out there making positive, constructive nation-building announcements on things that actually matter.

The member refers to decisions taken but not announced. Some of those are, of course, for national security reasons. That's the reason why that's included, and they're often very good reasons why that is the case. And that should always remain the case.

My government is committed to transparency and committed to making sure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely, which is why so many of the reforms that it has done are universal. They're not for some people in some seats; they are absolutely universal. An example of that is the doubling of Roads to Recovery funding. Roads to Recovery, in particular, helps councils which are in larger seats—so it tends to help people in regional seats more than urban communities. It's good policy, it makes a difference for local government and it makes a difference for road safety, and it's just one example of us getting the decision-making processes right.