Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

As I have indicated, with increases in population and significant increases in the volume of freight being taken across the Perth metropolitan area to Fremantle, we are confronted in Western Australia—and in other metropolitan places around Australia—with increasing levels of congestion. These increased levels act as a handbrake on economic growth. That is why we need to make this significant investment in productivity-enhancing economic infrastructure as part of our plan for stronger growth and more jobs.

That is why the Australian government is making a record investment of more than $50 billion in productivity-enhancing infrastructure across Australia, building the roads of the 21st century. Providing a more efficient freight route to the Fremantle port has been talked about for decades, but nobody has delivered. This government, working with the Barnett government, is delivering.