Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Hansard source

I have a follow-up question to your previous answer. In response to Senator McKenzie's question about the $500 million, you said that the $500 million is to get the corridor for Sydney to Newcastle—correct me if I'm wrong—and you mentioned acquisitions. However, when I was before Senate estimates and I put the question to Mr Hallinan from the department, he specifically said that the $500 million was for setting up the agency and commencing preparation for corridors. When pressed he implied that there would be no acquisitions undertaken under the first stage because it would be the commencement of conversations and negotiations. Can you clarify, if Mr Hallinan was wrong, what portion of the $500 million is being set aside for corridor acquisitions? Or is that $500 million to fund the new agency, the new bureaucracy, to start work on conversations that have already started?