Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National 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. Last week, we had the extraordinary spectacle of the Queensland Deputy Premier travelling all the way down here with a delegation of mayors to demand that the government restore funding for Brisbane's Olympics infrastructure, budgeted by the former coalition government. On Saturday, the former chairman of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, panned the government's changes, saying:

We certainly had all the commitments at the time when we went forward with this bid and they've been confirmed previously and I'm struggling to see how they can now renege on them.

Did the government consult with the Australian Olympic Committee about the potential impacts on games preparedness before putting projects like the Sunshine Coast rail at risk?

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

Senator Canavan, thank you for the question because it gives me an opportunity to point out that the coalition government, while making promises about funding of infrastructure for the 2032 Olympic Games, did not commit or provide in the budget one single cent. The last time I looked at building construction costs, you don't really get a stadium for zero cents, you don't get a road for zero cents, you don't get a rail line for zero cents or for zero dollars—and that's exactly the amount that was committed by the former coalition government and that has, of course, been improved upon by the Albanese Labor government.

That's why the budget we handed down this year, the 2023-24 budget, actually delivers real funding, not just promises, on the Australian government's funding commitment towards the 2032 Games. Over the forward estimates $504 million has been firmly committed in the budget papers—not just promises—towards the Brisbane Arena project, and $512 million towards the 16 new and upgraded venues across South-East Queensland, which is a total of $1.076 billion. In total, the Albanese government—

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

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Canavan?

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

My question was a very simple and direct one: did the government consult with the AOC? The minister has gone nowhere near that.

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

I'm not sure I'd call it 'a simple one'; there was a fair bit of preamble in there. But I will draw the minister to that part of your question, Senator Canavan.

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

The government of course consults with the AOC, the Queensland government and various other partners in the delivery of the Olympics infrastructure on a regular basis. I know from previous reports that both the Queensland government and the AOC have been very pleased that they now have a federal government in place—

that is actually prepared to deliver real funding for the Olympics infrastructure rather than the hollow promises that we had from the former coalition government.

As I say, in total the Albanese government is delivering $2.5 billion for the Brisbane Arena development and up to $935 million for the minor venues program. This is real funding, not just promises.

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

Thank you, Minister. Senator McKenzie, I am going to ask you to withdraw the comments you made as the minister was speaking, in regard to mistruths.

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

If it assists the chamber, I withdraw.

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

Thank you. Senator Canavan, first supplementary?

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

Minister, given the Queensland government's cost blowouts to the M1 Pacific Highway Varsity Lakes to Tugun upgrade, and the Albanese government's fifty-fifty limitation on funding, what other Brisbane Olympics supporting transport projects have been put at risk by Labor's infrastructure review?

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

The only thing that put any Queensland infrastructure projects at risk was the fact that the former coalition government did not budget for those projects, did not have business plans for those projects, did not have a single dollar in the budget and didn't have the skills and the labour needed to deliver those projects. That is why we have had to do the hard work that the coalition government was never prepared to do, to actually work out in this inflationary environment which projects can be delivered and which ones need to be paused for a period of time.

In the process we have followed through on funding for almost all the projects that were previously committed to by the former government, but there are some that need a business case to be prepared before they can be delivered. Senator Canavan, I haven't seen you out there clapping the federal government for delivering the funding that was needed for the cost increase to the Rockhampton Ring Road; I have seen you doing a lot of campaigning in scaring people that the funding wasn't there, but now that it actually is there you haven't said a thing. Get out there and get on board!

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

Senator Canavan, second supplementary?

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

I'd like to ask a question about the Rocky Ring Road, but I'll stick to my script! Will the government commit to complete Bruce Highway projects, including the Gateway Motorway to Dohles Rocks Road upgrade and the Linkfield Road overpass project supporting accessibility for the 2032 Olympics?

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

Thank you, Senator Ayres, I was just thinking about this: I've never seen Senator Canavan so interested in the south-east corner of Queensland! We know he used to be a Marxist before he went to the Productivity Commission, and now he's in the National Party. We know he used to be in Logan before he went to Rockhampton and tried to care about that—

The:

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. I will come to you, Senator Rennick. Senator Ruston, I am going to ask you to withdraw those comments.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If it assists the chamber, I withdraw.

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

Thank you. Senator Rennick?

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on relevance. Senator Watt has done nothing but make personal smears against Senator Canavan, who is asking a serious question about infrastructure—

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

Senator Rennick, that is not a point of order. Minister, I am going to draw you to Senator Canavan's question.

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

I'm happy to provide further information about the funding that is being provided, but, now that Senator Canavan has returned from his bogus Central Queensland roots to his South-East Queensland roots, I look forward to him revisiting his Marxist era, when he was at school or university. I've forgotten which one it was. Many of the projects needed to support the games are already being funded—

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

Senator Scarr, on a point of order?

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt should specifically withdraw the word 'bogus', which impugns the motives of Senator Canavan.

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

When senators rise on a point of order, I would prefer that they didn't repeat the offensive word. I will ask him to withdraw. Minister, please withdraw.

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

I withdraw. Many of the projects needed to support the games are already being funded, planned and delivered in the current infrastructure investment pipeline in order to support the growth of South-East Queensland. I'm pleased that Senator Canavan now recognises that South-East Queensland deserves support as well. For example, we are delivering $2.1 billion to the M1 Pacific Motorway upgrade program. We're delivering $1.06 billion to the Coomera Connector stage 1, as well as $300 million to the Brisbane Metro, funding for the Gold Coast light rail stage 3 and, of course, money for more planning of the Sunshine Coast rail as well— (Time expired)