Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Johnston, the Minister representing the Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Is the minister aware of the comment by the member for Kalgoorlie, Mr Barry Haase, on the budget that ‘there is nothing specific’ in it for his vast regional electorate? Is the minister also aware that the Treasurer did not mention the resources sector once in his budget speech? Isn’t it the case that infrastructure deficiencies continue to prevent regional Western Australia, particularly the north-west, from developing to its potential? Isn’t it also true that, over the last four years, the mining boom has pumped $300 billion above original estimates into the budget, allowing the government to spend up big in an election year? In the light of that, why has the government failed to make any new infrastructure investment in the budget to help resolve capacity constraints that are hindering development in regional Western Australia?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Some people must have been celebrating very hard whilst the budget was being delivered on Tuesday night, because they are oblivious to the fact of the Australian government’s greatest ever investment in regional infrastructure in terms of roads and rail. For senators from Western Australia to come in here oblivious to the budget papers and—

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle, you have asked your question. Come to order!

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr, come to order!

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

oblivious to government policy cites the fact that they only want to hear very selective things from within their own tight, pessimistic circle. Western Australia is receiving $1,704.5 billion over five years—$308 million in 2007-08. Western Australia, for the benefit of Senator Sterle, is receiving—let me say it again—$308 million in 2007-08. Where has the learned senator been for the last two days? It must have been a good celebration. There is $997.2 million for 20 projects and maintenance on the AusLink national land transport network—$165.9 million in 2007-08. A very depressed hush comes over the other side of the chamber!

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am just telling you the facts! You have asked the question; I will answer it. Obviously, it is not something that you like to hear. There is $265.2 million for 142 local government councils to spend on local roads—$48.5 million in 2007-08. There is $22.5 million for nine strategic regional programs—$6.5 million in 2007-08. There is $23.9 million for an estimated 202 black spot projects—$5 million in 2007-08—and $395.7 million for untied local road grants to local authorities, $82 million of which is payable in 2007-08. Funding in 2007-08 for projects includes—and I have not even got to AusLink 2 yet—$64 million for the new Perth to Bunbury highway.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But is that anywhere near Kalgoorlie?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A senator from Victoria says, ‘Is that in Kalgoorlie?’ I have to tell you, when it comes to regional Australia they know it all! There is $23.9 million for upgrading works on the Great Northern Highway between Apple Street in Upper Swan and Wubin. I am waiting for the question, ‘Is that in Kalgoorlie?’ There is $28.1 million for the east-west railway which, they might wish to know, actually does go through the electorate of Kalgoorlie. There is $2 million for the upgrading of the Great Eastern Highway and Roe Highway interchange; $3 million to finish the Clackline township bypass on the Great Eastern Highway—which goes to Kalgoorlie, for those who did not know. (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Obviously, Mr Haase was not at your party the other night, either. Is the minister aware that the Treasurer tried to downplay the importance of the resources sector by saying ‘employment in mining is only one per cent of employment in this country’? Why has the Treasurer refused to even acknowledge the role of the great mining regions in Western Australia in delivering economic benefits for all Australians? Why is the government taking the hard work—

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senators on my right, come to order!

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, why is the government taking the hard work of the resources sector and regional Australia for granted and delivering very little in return?

David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sterle needs to understand—and of course I am happy to assist him—that our mineral exporters use two things to get their minerals from the mines to the ports, and they are road and rail. Let me tell you, Western Australia has never been more successful on the international stage in achieving cost efficiency in doing that. In answering Senator Sterle’s question, I want to pause to provide a little assessment of what Labor brings to the party. I want to quote the chairman, I think it was, or the CEO, of BHP Billiton who said:

As it stands, the ALP’s proposed IR policy will not only abolish AWAs, it will also effectively get rid of the mining industry’s ability to capitalise on the current huge demand for minerals.

That is their contribution to mining. (Time expired)