Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Today is day 190 of the 90-day review—making it 100 days overdue—that the minister for infrastructure told us would be short and sharp. More than 400 productivity-enhancing infrastructure projects have been put on hold by the government because of this review. Labor have spent $2.9 billion less on road and rail infrastructure last year than you said you would in your October budget. That was on top of the $9.6 billion in cuts to infrastructure in that budget. The Treasurer yesterday said that 'difficult decisions' would need to be taken on infrastructure projects as a result of the review. In response, the Deputy Premier of Queensland, Dr Miles, has said today that cutting road and rail projects in Queensland is a bad idea economically and politically. Minister, will you rule out any cuts to the Bruce Highway, beef roads or any other road projects in Queensland?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Canavan for his question. What I will rule out is repeating the mess that the former government left us with in this space, making announcement after announcement which was never, ever followed through on. Senator Canavan, we're the adults in the room. We are trying to make sensible, economically sustainable decisions for this country, not simply issuing a press release and then doing nothing about it to follow through, in terms of either any construction or providing any funding for those projects.

What we want to do, Senator Canavan, is get back to where we always should have been, and that is making sensible decisions on infrastructure for this country that are in the best interests of the country, whether that might be in Queensland, in my home state of South Australia, or anywhere else in the country. The comments by the Treasurer on the weekend are exactly to this point. We're going to make decisions in this country that are based on the best interests of all of our citizens and that are in our national interest, and that means doing a thorough investigation into all of those—

Well, you had 10 years to fix this up, and you didn't.

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

Order across the chamber! Senator Brown, I've just called the chamber to order, and that includes you. Senator Canavan, a first supplementary?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The New South Wales Labor Treasurer, Mr Mookhey, said that New South Wales was doing the most to accommodate the federal government's immigration numbers and that record immigration requires infrastructure. After months of sitting on the 90-day infrastructure review, there is speculation that the PM plans to release the report, together with the government's hit list of cancelled projects, while he is overseas. Will you give us a commitment that the government will not use the Melbourne Cup tomorrow as a smokescreen for Labor's road and rail project cuts?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't know about you, Senator Canavan, but I am going to use the Melbourne Cup to put a bet on, and, hopefully, the horse I bet on will win. Unlike the government that you were a part of, Senator Canavan, this government is serious about dealing with the issue of infrastructure and infrastructure development, and of course the New South Wales government have an interest in that, because they want to work with a federal government that they know is serious about addressing all of the problems that you left behind. Can I tell you this: whether it's Melbourne Cup Day or any other day, this government will be working with the New South Wales government to absolutely get the best result for this country.

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

Senator Canavan, a second supplementary?

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, can you guarantee that the Prime Minister will personally take responsibility for the government's cuts to infrastructure projects and that the Prime Minister will make the announcement himself, instead of having a department quietly put out a release like he did with the Darwin port?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can't remember how your government made the announcement about its support for the Darwin port, Senator Canavan, but I never heard any complaint from your government about the decision of Chief Minister Giles to lease that port to a Chinese company. But what we know about this Prime Minister is that he's a prime minister who actually knows something about infrastructure. So, when this government makes decisions about government infrastructure spending, you can rest assured that he's going to make the best decisions in the best interests of this country because he actually knows what he's doing. (Time expired)

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

Senator McKenzie, I think I've called you more than any other senator today, and I invite you to make a contribution at some other time and not at question time.