Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Senator Watt. Commonwealth Government infrastructure investment has suffered from a decade of waste and rorts, with funding decisions made for the purpose of issuing of media statements rather than actually delivering for the community, particularly in New South Wales, because Mr Perrottet has flogged off roads, electricity, ports and housing to his mates on the cheap, and now he wants to privatise Sydney Water. Minister, how has the Australian government cleaned up the mess in infrastructure investment to focus on delivering the projects that really matter to Australians?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Sheldon, a very long-term advocate for transport infrastructure in New South Wales. Before answering Senator Sheldon, I give a shout-out to those in the public gallery. I can only imagine the joy you felt when you arrived here today and found out that House of Reps question time wasn't on and instead you'd be coming to the Senate, so we'll do our best to provide you with some relief.

The Albanese government is committed to delivering the infrastructure projects that grow productivity, create jobs and build a better life for Australians across our country. That is why we are reinvigorating Infrastructure Australia and are partnering with states, territories and local governments to invest in projects that will deliver the greatest benefits to people across Australia. Over the last decade, unfortunately, our nation saw the Infrastructure portfolio rorted by the Liberals and Nationals to pork-barrel their own seats while failing to deliver for the community.

It's always good to have interjections from Senator Rennick. We know he won't be here very long to make more of them.

We saw how the Liberals and Nationals treated Infrastructure Australia, ignoring its advice and stacking its board with its Liberal Party and Nationals mates. We all know how they used colour-coded spreadsheets to pick projects. That is simply how the Liberals and Nationals roll. They only focus on the projects that will benefit them politically—and listen to them bleat now. They never focus on projects that will actually benefit the community. At the Commonwealth level we saw this most clearly with the Urban Congestion Fund. This was a $4.8 billion program that allocated 83 per cent of its funding to Liberal held seats. It was meant to target pinch points and congestion in cities across the country—cities that people in the gallery live in—but 136 of the announced projects were in the Liberal held areas. In New South Wales we've seen pork-barrelling turned into an art form. From sports club grants to bushfire grants, is there anything that the New South Wales Liberal and National parties haven't sought to rort? This Saturday the voters of New South Wales have a chance to have their say, just as voters did last May. They can reject rorting, reject porkbarrelling and elect a Labor government. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sheldon, first supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for outlining the work that's being done to fix a decade worth of coalition mess while restoring integrity to the infrastructure pipeline. I note that in New South Wales the Liberals and Nationals bought cracked trams from Spain, unsafe trains from Korea and decapitating ferries from Indonesia. Minister, how is the government investing in infrastructure that creates jobs and enhances the economic productivity of local communities in New South Wales? (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks again, Senator Sheldon. The Albanese government is investing in projects that will deliver jobs and opportunities to communities that actually need them, regardless of what colour they are on the spreadsheet. One of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country right now is Western Sydney airport. It will support almost 28,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2031, five years after the airport opens in 2026. Importantly, these benefits and this opportunity will flow to local residents in Western Sydney, with at least 30 per cent of jobs during the construction phase having to come from local residents. When the airport opens, this will increase to a minimum of 50 per cent, and the Albanese government's Skills Guarantee means that 10 per cent of workers on Commonwealth funded infrastructure major projects will be an apprentice, a trainee or a paid cadet.

Communities across New South Wales are sick of spending that is focused only on the political advantage of the government of the day. Working with a Minns Labor government will focus on the enabling infrastructure to deliver the greatest benefits to communities across Western Sydney.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sheldon, second supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's great to hear that, Minister, because proper infrastructure investment in our regions is critical and residents of regional New South Wales are sick of investment decisions being made on the basis of electoral boundaries rather than on merit. For example, we all saw the Liberals and Nationals even pork-barrel the bushfire grants. There will be no-one in the Minns government that will be turning around and calling themselves 'Pork Barilaro'. How has the cleaning up infrastructure investment delivered for regional communities? (Time expired)

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all remember that under coalition governments, Commonwealth and state, it is regional communities that bear the brunt of underinvestment and political porkbarrelling.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The biggest example of this at the Commonwealth level is the Building Better Regions Fund—and, gee, they don't like being reminded of it. Former coalition ministers make decisions on projects based on 'choose your own adventure' criteria that were not even explained to those applying for grants.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, across the chamber!

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

National Party seats benefitted the most—

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Eddie Obeid—where is he?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath, I just called the whole chamber to order. I do not expect you to then continue interjecting. It is disrespectful and disorderly.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At a state level the Nationals behave in exactly the same way, even going so far as to rort bushfire funds in New South Wales. And, if you think all this behaviour ended with 'Pork-barrel-aro', you'd be very mistaken. The same people who were around the cabinet table when these decisions were made are now seeking another term in office. Only the Albanese Labor government and a Minns New South Wales Labor government will stop the rorts, deliver for Sydney and deliver for regional New South Wales.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, I will remind you, when referring to members of other parliaments, that it is inappropriate to not use their correct titles.