Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Minister for Rural Health) Share this | Hansard source

And yes—I will take that interjection from senators opposite—it is starting. The Melbourne-to-Brisbane corridor is one of the most important general freight routes in Australia. Inland rail will provide 1,700 kilometres of freight rail alignment connecting Melbourne and Brisbane while linking many regional ports and stimulating local jobs and local economic activity. I will point out to the chamber for those who have not noticed that it took the coalition government to get to this point with the inland rail. It took the Liberal and National parties to get to this point for the inland rail.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Those opposite who interject are those from the Labor Party who did nothing to get the inland rail to this point. I am very proud of this, and I am very proud of the budget that the government delivered last night.