Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law) Share this | Hansard source

I think the development of infrastructure is important, and that clearly includes public infrastructure in this country. We have established Infrastructure Australia, which is going through the process of assessing projects, including public transport. I agree that, in the context of the social housing elements of the package we are considering, public transport is important. There is no difficulty, Senator Milne, in Infrastructure Australia completing their job. They have to be rigorous because these are very substantial spends involving large sums of money. There is, in a sense, a parallel process. We cannot put everything into the $42 billion package and link everything together, but I have no doubt that in the context of social housing in the stimulus package where there is a public transport development identified through Infrastructure Australia they will be able to cross-connect the issues. I accept that that is relevant to the package.

The other point I would make is that the package has been developed as a matter of urgency, as we know, because we have discussed the rapidly developing and worsening world financial and economic outlook. It has been developed quickly because it has to be. Given the nature of the stimulus that is being provided, we have had to do it decisively and quickly. So not everything that we have been discussing can be included in the package. I know that any number of people would like to have seen other elements added to the package but I think that the situation should be understood.

Senator Brown has raised the issue of the age pension, for example. We actually have another process dealing with the age pension, the Henry tax review. We have Infrastructure Australia dealing with infrastructure, including public transport issues. So we have got development underway of other areas of policy in parallel with this stimulus package. But the stimulus package is not the budget and it is not everything that this government intends to do over the next year. There are clearly other programs, other processes and, in the case of the Henry tax review, there will be some announcement on pensions, and I understand that there will be some discussions with Senator Brown about any clarification that is required. So there are other processes where necessary and in parallel going on at the same time. So I think that answers your question and concern as best I can.