Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

We're doing a Senate inquiry into the intergovernmental agreement, and my question was about the fact that the Prime Minister made a commitment to Australians prior to the election that significant licks of cash—of their cash—that were going into infrastructure would be assessed by an independent body as to need and cost benefit. What I'm hearing the government say today is that $2.5 billion for the Brisbane Live arena won't be subject to that, nor will the $240 million for Macquarie Point Stadium in Tasmania. I note Senator Duniam is in the chamber and may have some questions of his own. Why is the government opposed to Infrastructure Australia investigating and reviewing the business cases of nationally significant social infrastructure such as these projects?