Deborah O'Neill (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. The Albanese government was elected on the promise of cleaning up the mess of a decade of the Liberal-National coalition's waste, rorts and chaos. Having been left with one trillion dollars in debt, why is the independent review of the $120 billion infrastructure investment pipeline necessary?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

I'm glad the opposition are interested in this because I'm going to give them a few facts. By now, all Australians are familiar with the mess that was left behind after a decade of Liberal-National government. As Senator O'Neill has mentioned, they created a trillion dollars in debt, with nothing to show for it. The coalition left behind a pipeline of infrastructure projects without adequate funding or resources and, in many cases, without real benefits to the public.

Those opposite announced projects without even checking if they were priorities for the states first. This resulted in these projects being stalled for years or the costs continuing to blow out. Of course, what we learnt about the Liberals and Nationals is that they didn't care if there was funding to deliver a project and they didn't care if there was skilled labour available to deliver a project. As long as a project looked good on a colour coded spreadsheet, that was enough for the opposition.

Unlike the opposition, we commissioned an independent review because we are committed to delivering an infrastructure program that can actually be paid for and delivered. It's important to note that the Albanese government will maintain the $120 billion dedicated towards the infrastructure program. All projects that are underway and all the election commitments of our government are being honoured and will be honoured. But we need to be realistic about the Liberal and National parties' program. With its colour coded projects, preferably royal blue and—what kind of green would it be?—bottle green for National Party projects, the coalition's program blew out by $33 billion. There were $33 billion of cost overruns, and the program simply cannot be delivered in its current form.

Under the former government the number of infrastructure projects in the pipeline blew out from nearly 150 to 800. What a shame the former government's appetite for announcing projects wasn't matched with a commitment to deliver. We will deliver, and we will get this program working. (Time expired)

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

Senator O'Neill, first supplementary?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the May budget the Albanese government delivered a budget surplus for the first time in 15 years. What is the Albanese government doing to deliver on meaningful infrastructure projects while continuing to put downward pressure on inflation.

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

The Albanese government's No. 1 priority remains addressing the worldwide inflation and cost-of-living challenge. We have taken a number of steps since being elected. We have a targeted and comprehensive $23 billion 10-point plan to help address the cost-of-living pressures in our economy, including electricity bill relief, which was voted against by the opposition, cheaper child care, which was opposed by the opposition, cheaper medicines, which was repeatedly voted against by the opposition, and increased rent assistance, which was opposed by the opposition. We've done all these things at the same time as we've delivered the first budget surplus in 15 years, taking inflationary pressure out of the economy. We have seen wages grow at around the fastest rate in over a decade and over 561,000 jobs created since we have come to office. We are now also managing the infrastructure program to reduce inflationary pressure.

It's lucky that someone is concerned about inflation because I saw today the shadow finance minister, Senator Hume, describing inflation at 1.2 per cent as 'out of control', and she was reminded that inflation was almost twice that in the last quarter of the former government that she was part of it. (Time expired)

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order across the chamber! Senator Hume, order! Senator Henderson! Senator Brown! Minister Watt, I also remind you that when I call you that time is up, I expect you to sit down. Senator O'Neill, second supplementary?

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister Watt, for that comprehensive and factually accurate answer. Why is the Albanese government confident that this is the right approach to keeping downward pressure on inflation and managing the infrastructure pipeline?

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

As I said, the Albanese government has a clear plan for managing inflation and cost-of-living pressures with budget discipline recording the first surplus in 15 years. We also have a plan for cost-of-living relief and managing our infrastructure pipeline. But in contrast to the government's clear plan, those opposite can't even agree on whether we should spend more or less. Yesterday we had Senator Scarr in question time begging and demanding us to spend less money in the economy, while at the same time we had Senator McKenzie out there issuing press releases demanding more infrastructure spending. More spending over there, less over here: is it a Liberals versus Nationals thing, or are you just utterly confused about what to do about inflation in the economy? Senator Birmingham has called for 'proper spending discipline' to avoid adding to inflation, but Mr Dutton, the Leader of the Opposition, wants to reinstate superannuation tax concessions for high-income earners and wants to build nuclear reactors everywhere around the country with more spending. Make up your minds! Are you for more spending or less spending? We are for managing inflation and for managing cost-of-living relief. (Time expired)

Government Senators:

Government senators interjecting—

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

Order!

Senator Hume, I've called you a number of times. I would invite you at another time during the week to make a contribution but not at question time.