Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal 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 McCarthy. In the May budget, the government allocated $10.1 billion to pay the states more money to cover the cost of blowouts in state infrastructure projects. Australians are being forced to drive on unsafe and potholed roads which have missed out on funding because of project cost blowouts. Has CFMEU corruption and lawless behaviour added to construction costs for road and rail projects?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. The Albanese government is delivering infrastructure for all of Australia after cleaning up the mess left by the Liberals and Nationals. Last year we did the hard work of reforming the Infrastructure Investment Program, ensuring that the 10-year $120 billion pipeline is sustainable and delivers well-planned, properly costed projects across the country. In delivering this budget, we have worked—

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

Minister, please resume your seat. Senator O'Sullivan.

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My point of order is on relevance. My question was about the impact that the CFMEU was having on the cost of road and rail projects—whether corruption was occurring and that was impacting on road projects.

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

Thank you, Senator O'Sullivan. You did also mention projects generally, but I will draw the minister to—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! I will draw the minister to the second part of your question. Minister.

An honourable senator interjecting—

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, I was going on some of the budget questions there as well. But, as I said yesterday in answer to the question by Senator McKenzie, the minister, Catherine King, has written to state and territory counterparts to convey the expectation that any information regarding improper or criminal conduct by any entities related to projects delivered under the National Land Transport Act 2014 be reported immediately to the relevant regulator. The minister has embedded new assurances and protections in the federation funding agreement that the Commonwealth has negotiated with the states, which was finalised on 11 August.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, a first supplementary?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese government has cancelled, cut and delayed $27.9 billion worth of infrastructure projects over its first two years. Has CFMEU corruption and lawless behaviour resulted in delays to funding other road projects that are needed by Australian families and businesses?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We—

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

Please resume your seat, Minister. Senator McKenzie, I had just called the minister to answer the question. Minister, please continue.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We will not be lectured by the Liberals or the Nationals, who spent a decade making oversized and undercooked infrastructure commitments across the country. Your decade of failure and broken promises is why the Albanese government has taken significant and necessary reforms to Commonwealth infrastructure investment.

When it comes to the CFMEU, as I said in my previous answer yesterday, we have taken decisive action. We've introduced legislation to clear the way for the CFMEU construction division to be placed under the control of an independent administrator with extensive powers to clean up the union. We've asked the Fair Work Ombudsman to undertake a targeted review of all enterprise agreements. Clearly that is not enough for you, Senator.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, a second supplementary?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not enough. That's true. You're not doing enough. There was an 11.7 per cent increase in road deaths across Australia over the last year, in 2023-24. Noting that many unsafe roads have missed out on funding as a result of CFMEU related infrastructure costs, overruns and delays, to what extent have unsafe roads contributed to the worsening of the road toll?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do think that it's disingenuous of the senator to try and connect an area that we've always said—

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Road safety issues are bipartisan

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Exactly, Senator Sterle—road safety issues across Australia. Also, we know that the biggest factor in higher prices in the construction sector are supply chain issues like labour shortages and the cost of materials which, as we've said here in the Senate many times, have largely been driven by the war in Ukraine.

Opposition senators interjecting—

You're not interested, are you? This is how much you care about what is actually going on.