David Pocock (ACT, Independent) 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. Since 2016, the previous federal government invested more than $9.3 billion in 12 city and regional deals in every state and territory, except the ACT. This investment has leveraged more than $18 billion of investment in total, and it's led to some big new pieces of social infrastructure. Apart from a welcome commitment to our national cultural institutions, what plan does the current government have to correct this historic inequality and co-invest in upgrading key, ageing infrastructure in the national capital and Australia's fastest-growing capital city?

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

Thank you, Senator Pocock, for your question. I'll get some information for you specifically about regional plans. But what I do know is that the Albanese government is making some very strong investments in infrastructure in the ACT, which is no surprise given that the finance minister, one of our strongest ministers in this chamber and in this parliament, is a strong representative of the ACT. I'm aware, for instance, that the government is investing in road projects, through the Roads to Recovery Program, the Black Spot Program, the Bridges Renewal Program and the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. In fact, the Infrastructure Investment Program will provide $92.6 million over 10 years from 2023-24 for those smaller projects. In the recent budget we actually committed $476.4 million towards major infrastructure projects in the ACT, and they didn't include any colour coded spreadsheets, as far as I'm aware. That sort of thing stopped on May 21—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Only one colour on yours!

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

Oh! What is it about colour coded spreadsheets that fires you people up? Is it the yellow colour code, the green colour code, the blue colour code or the red colour code?

Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's easy when your spreadsheet is all red!

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

There weren't many red colour codes on your spreadsheet, were there? It was mostly blue and green.

The:

Senator Watt, please resume your seat. Order on my left!

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

I'm waiting, Senator Rennick.

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

Thank you, President. I'll refrain from mentioning colour coded spreadsheets again, because we wouldn't want to have the information delayed, and I know that Senator Pocock is serious about getting information. I'm also aware, though, that the finance minister, Senator Gallagher, is in discussions with the Chief Minister of the ACT about more priority projects to be funded in the ACT. I'm sure we'll have some good news on those before long.

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

Senator Pocock, a first supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The $150 million announced in the budget for a new urban precincts and partnerships program is less than nine of the 12 individual city partnerships. Will the government make more funding available to give people in the ACT the same access to the nation-building infrastructure that other jurisdictions have enjoyed?

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

Thank you, Senator Pocock. As I said, I think that the facts stand that the Albanese government is committing a significant amount of funding to the ACT. We don't discriminate against the ACT. It's obviously one of the smaller jurisdictions, but that's a very significant commitment of funding for the ACT. As I said, the Minister for Finance is undertaking further discussions with the Chief Minister of the ACT about further investment. In addition, I'm aware that the government has made a very significant commitment, I think in the order of $2 billion, for a national security precinct that will be invested in in the ACT and based in the ACT. Whether we're talking about roads, bridges, national security infrastructure or others, the record stands that this government is backing the ACT, as I said, led very ably by Senator Gallagher as the finance minister of this government.

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

Senator Pocock, a second supplementary?

David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We saw in Labor's first full budget $240 million for a third stadium in Tasmania and $2.5 billion for the Brisbane Arena, as just two examples. Outside of the national security precinct and the cultural institutions, why is Labor continuing the previous government's approach of treating Canberrans as second-class citizens?

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

Thank you, Senator Pocock. Thank you for reminding me that, in addition to the investments that I've already mentioned, we're also making an investment of around half a billion dollars in some of the nation's cultural institutions. Senator Pocock, you strike me as a very cultured individual. I thought you'd be interested in investments in cultural institutions, and I'm sure that we'll see you down there at the National Gallery before too long. I'm sure that, in the discussions that Senator Gallagher is having with the Chief Minister of the ACT, a range of other investments will be discussed.

Senator Pocock, I'm not sure whether you're flagging an intention to return to the playing field if there were to be some sort of redevelopment of sporting facilities here in the ACT. We've certainly welcomed your appearance as a member of the Queensland State of Origin team in the annual State of Origin touch match, and we look forward to seeing you down there to prevail over New South Wales again next week. We're making very significant investments in infrastructure in the ACT, and we'll continue to do so.