Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

First of all, I do wish to deal with your comments around the government's view of community members. Of course, I reject your remarks absolutely. I take them as political pointscoring by the opposition. They couldn't be further from the truth.

I will go through the five amendments that you have put forward. I just want to step through the reasons that the government will not be supporting these amendments, and then I'll go to the question that you've placed before me.

As to your first amendment: we, in the government, believe that this is an unnecessary amendment. The legislation already states that the authority will be consulting, liaising and negotiating with states and territories and other relevant parties, and it is inherent that the community will be a core part of the work of the High Speed Rail Authority.

I'll go now to amendment (2). Infrastructure Australia already evaluates business cases for transport infrastructure projects with an Australian government funding contribution of $250 million or more. In addition, business case evaluation reports are publicly released by Infrastructure Australia.

I'll move on to amendment (3). Again, the government will be opposing this amendment. The board will consist of five members, who will be appointed based on the appropriate skills mix. And it may well be, Senator McKenzie, that the board members will have experience in regional Australia or be from regional Australia, but the prime view of the government is that they have to have the appropriate set of skills to be on the board.

Amendment (4) we will be opposing. Information on the progress of the High Speed Rail Authority will be publicly available via its annual report and corporation plan.

And your last amendment, amendment (5), we will also be opposing, as information on the progress, as I said, of the High Speed Rail Authority will be publicly available through its annual report and the corporate plan.

Now, on the other question that you put to me, I will just take some advice.

So, going to your question, the cost of establishing the High Speed Rail Authority will be offset by existing funding set aside for the National Faster Rail Agency.