Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Will the minister outline to the Senate how the Howard-Vaile government is investing in infrastructure across Australia? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Joyce for his question and note his keen interest, along with that of all my colleagues on this side, in the very important question of providing transport infrastructure to this nation. While those on the other side like to talk about the need to invest in transport infrastructure, we on this side actually get on with the job. The Australian government will provide an extra $2.3 billion for roads and rail projects, bringing to $15 billion its total funding commitment to land transport, including AusLink, the National Land Transport Plan, in the five years to 2008-09. This represents a massive 20 per cent increase in the AusLink program. This additional $2.3 billion investment comprises $1.8 billion for improving our roads on the national network, $307.5 million for improving local roads and $270 million for the Australian Rail Track Corporation.

This massive investment package, on a state-by-state basis, includes, for New South Wales, an additional $800 million to dramatically increase the pace of converting the Hume Highway in southern New South Wales to four lanes and an additional $160 million for the Pacific Highway. Victorians will also benefit massively from the fast-tracking of the Hume Highway, as well as receiving extra funding for the Deer Park, Pakenham and Geelong bypasses. In Senator Joyce’s home state of Queensland, there will be an extra $268 million for projects along the Bruce Highway. Western Australia gets an additional $234 million for the Great Northern Highway and $75 million for the Eyre Highway. South Australia receives an additional $100 million to significantly quicken the pace of upgrading the Sturt Highway. In Senator Scullion’s Northern Territory, there will be an additional $30 million to dramatically increase the pace of upgrading the Victoria Highway. In Senator Humphries’ ACT, there will be an extra $22.7 million for transport projects.

Mr President, I have kept the best until last—our home state of Tasmania. It will receive an additional $60 million to dramatically upgrade the East Tamar Highway, paving the way for the proposed new billion-dollar pulp mill. Whilst I am talking about Tasmania, I indicate that Tasmania, as radio listeners were informed this morning, is the only state where the federal government spends more on roads than the state government does.

On top of all of this, there is the Roads to Recovery program, which helps local councils to invest in local roads, averaging around $300 million a year. The Howard government is going to pay an additional $307.5 million to local councils this year, before 30 June, so that councils can double next year’s level of construction.

I make the point that all of this expenditure is possible only because of the sound economic management and the tough decisions we as a government have taken. Instead of having to spend $8 billion per annum on interest, on the debt incurred by the previous Labor government, having paid that off, having run the economy well, we are now in a position to invest in these nation building projects. This is the dividend that the Australian public have been looking for as a result of our sound economic management.