Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Senator Scullion. I refer to the government's Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics yearbook. Can the minister confirm that, under the Liberal-National government, annual infrastructure investment in Australia has plunged by 17 per cent since 2013? What is the total cost to the Australian economy of the reduction in infrastructure investment of $9.7 billion a year?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not able to provide a detailed answer. It's really important that I provide accurate answers, so I'll take that question on notice.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, a supplementary question?

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport referred to the Inland Rail project when defending the Turnbull government's lack of infrastructure investment in Tasmania. Can the minister confirm that the Inland Rail project is from Brisbane to Melbourne and unfortunately doesn't include a bridge to cross Bass Strait?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I'll call the minister when there's order on both sides of the chamber.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order on my right and my left! We can wait here all afternoon. Senator Scullion, there's no need to stay on your feet.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question. If I can just start with the bridge over the Bass Strait, I can tell you that Territorians are screaming that they can't get a subsidy for freight. Can I just say what I can commit to. Over the next 10 years the coalition government is committed to delivering $75 billion in infrastructure funding and financing, from 2017-18 to 2026-27, which includes the funding for the $10 billion National Rail Program and equity for the two biggest infrastructure investments—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Scullion, please resume your seat. Senator Brown, on a point of order.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, on relevance. My question was: can the minister confirm that the Inland Rail project is from Brisbane to Melbourne?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brown, you had a preamble to that, which I believe the minister is being relevant to.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I can confirm that that's the case. I can also confirm that Tasmania doesn't actually exist within those two places. If I can go on: one of the things is that we're not only investing; it's the way we invest. Inland Rail passes through the property of so many of our First Australians— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call Senator Brown for a final supplementary question.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why is the Turnbull government compounding the impact of reduced private sector investment in infrastructure by halving Commonwealth infrastructure investment over the coming decade from 0.4 per cent of GDP to 0.2 per cent?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can advise is that, for the Midland Highway, we, the Commonwealth government, the Australian government, provided $400 million out of a total of $500 million. It's going to provide 235 jobs—

An honourable senator: In Tasmania?

in Tasmania. For the freight rail revitalisation, we provided $59.8 million out of a total of $119 million. It's under construction, with 200 jobs. For the Hobart Airport Interchange it is $24 million out of $30 million. It's going to provide—it hasn't started construction—for a total of 360 jobs. But every one of these infrastructure projects has to look at Indigenous procurement and Indigenous employment as a fundamental tenet of planning all of these very important infrastructure investments.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.