Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night I spoke in the chamber about the significant risk that a Labor-Greens alliance poses to Australian jobs and the national economy if ever Labor were to be elected. The Greens' proposed moratorium on the mining of coal, gas and oil—which Labor will be forced to accept in any hung parliament or power-sharing arrangement—will bring this country to its knees: 80,000 jobs, including 50,000 in construction, and $500 billion in investment will go. With Labor's reckless COVID commitments, including paying every Australian $300 to get vaccinated, this would have cost an extra $81 billion. This is the brutal truth, Senator Gallagher.

It is frightening to consider Labor being in control of the treasury bench. In fact, Labor is so incompetent that it can't even add up what's required to fund a basic road project. In Geelong, the Morrison government is proudly funding stage 1 of the Barwon Heads Road Duplication—$292 million, or 80 per cent of the total cost. This is a vital road upgrade for Marshall, Armstrong Creek and Charlemont residents and those living in Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove and beyond. This funding was agreed by our government after Daniel Andrews and state Labor reneged on their commitment to fund 100 per cent of this road upgrade. Our wonderful Liberal candidate is advocating hard for stage 2. It's a $250 million project, and, consistent with the funding agreement, 80 per cent, or $200 million, is required. But what's Labor's commitment for stage 2? A paltry $125 million, a $75 million black hole on this road project. Under Labor, we had the carbon tax, the mining tax, the closure of Ford, the cancellation of the $1 billion howitzer project, the backflip on the East West Link and the refusal to fund the Great Ocean Road, and now Labor can't even fund a basic road project. We cannot afford to risk Labor.