David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Arbib, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Government Service Delivery and Minister for Employment Participation. Can the minister inform the Senate how the government’s nation-building economic stimulus is building productive capacity in the economy? In particular, how is the stimulus helping apprentices and providing opportunities for training in key growth areas of our economy? How will this increased capacity assist the development of large-scale natural resources projects in Northern Australia? What would be the effect of stopping the stimulus or delaying it over 15 years, as proposed by the opposition through Senator Eggleston?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Feeney for that question. As has been outlined by Treasury, the stimulus is supporting 210,000 jobs. Without it unemployment would be far worse. We know that winding back the stimulus would lead to another 100,000 Australians—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When there is silence, we will proceed.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Withdrawing the stimulus would see something like 100,000 Australians lose their jobs. The Liberal and National parties do not want to talk about the stimulus and they do not want to talk about employment because, as Mr Hockey said, jobs are not their priority.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Constant interjection is disorderly, Senator Macdonald.

Nick Sherry (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sherry interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Sherry. On both sides, I am waiting for silence before I ask Senator Arbib to continue.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Something else that is not their priority is infrastructure. We know that infrastructure funding actually dropped during their 12 years in government. The government are preparing for recovery and we are working on our transport—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When we have silence, we will proceed. It is very easy.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is pretty clear that the Liberal Party do not want to hear about jobs, they do not want to hear about employment and they certainly do not want to hear about infrastructure. But the federal government does. The stimulus package is investing in rail lines. Seventeen major ARTC rail lines—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! If people wish to debate the question, there is an opportunity after question time to debate the issue.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Three of those rail lines have already been completed. The federal government are spending more in 12 months than the coalition government spent in 12 years. The stimulus package is investing in 14 major road projects, and five are underway. It is a doubling of the roads budget. This is how the government are fighting the global recession. This is how the government are supporting jobs. This is how the government are preparing for the future. Those Liberal and National party senators on the other side can scream and shout, but we know they could not care less about infrastructure.

David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Has the minister had the opportunity to personally inspect any schools that have benefited from the education stimulus? Is the minister aware of any completed projects under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program? How is the education stimulus helping to support the productive capacity of the economy during this recovery? Can the minister further inform the Senate of details regarding other inquiries concerning the stimulus?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition did not want to listen when I was talking about infrastructure or jobs; maybe they will listen when it comes to education. Recently, I visited Yandina State School up on the Sunshine Coast, the first primary school project opened under the 21st century schools program. It was a resource centre worked on by 40 local contractors—90 per cent of those contractors came from the local community. It was a project that supported jobs on the Sunshine Coast, not just jobs but much needed school infrastructure. At the opening, Katie O’Sullivan, the captain of Yandina State School, said—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! When the interjections cease, we will continue.

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The school captain said:

We know personally how much of an improvement was made to the school by the building for education program. We have seen improvements right across the school, with our classrooms receiving new carpets, new furniture and new paint. I am sure all students agree the Building the Education Revolution projects have made a great difference to our school.

(Time expired)

David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for his answer, and I have a second supplementary question. What is the government doing to support productive capacity in the economy to assist with the number of large-scale natural resource projects? In particular, can the minister inform the Senate of the status of the National Resource Sector Employment Taskforce? How will that task force assist Australia in developing productive capacity for the significant investment in these projects in northern Australia over the next five to 10 years?

Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have already spoken about infrastructure and jobs, but also the government is preparing for some of the major LNG and mining projects that will be getting underway over the coming years. In all, the government believes that there is something like 80 major projects in the pipeline over the next decade, which could create up to 70,000 construction jobs for Australians. We want to ensure that we maximise the local employment opportunities for Australians. That is why the government has established the natural resource sector task force. I was very happy to meet yesterday with the task force for the first time, and also with Martin Ferguson, the Minister for Resources and Energy; Senator Sterle, the deputy chair; and the chair, Gary Gray. In short, we will be developing a skills and employment plan for that sector to ensure that we are putting downward pressure on capacity constraints. (Time expired)