Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the call. Congratulations to the new member for Hindmarsh for an outstanding maiden speech yesterday. It is great that the western suburbs of Adelaide have finally got some good Liberal representation after all these years. Madam Speaker, as you are well aware, the Prime Minister will be, at the end of his term, the infrastructure Prime Minister. That is the intention of the Prime Minister and we will make sure that he is the infrastructure Prime Minister during his term.

Yesterday we talked about the WestConnex project in Sydney and its importance to the people of Western Sydney in particular in Australia's premier city. Today we talk about the north-south corridor project and particularly for those in Hindmarsh affected by this, being in the most liveable in Australia. We want to make the north-south corridor a reality as soon as we possibly can. We are not just going to talk about it, we are going to deliver on it. In the election campaign we committed to $500 million to upgrade the Darlington Interchange. I noticed yesterday that the former minister—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

who longs to be back on this side of the House, was critical of the government standing by its election promise. I know it is an unusual concept for the Labor Party, but we announced $500 million for Darlington in the campaign and we are going to deliver $500 million for Darlington. I know for the Labor Party that is a very unusual thing to happen. In October at the South Australian Liberal Party conference the Prime Minister, in what was an ambitious announcement, said that this government, the Abbott government, will deliver an entire north-south corridor upgrade in our term in government.

Ms Rishworth interjecting—

Ms Kate Ellis interjecting—

I am surprised that the member for Kingston and the member for Adelaide are so opposed to this. I am surprised that their constituents would be so opposed. I understand the member for Kingston is very disappointed that her own party would not commit to the Darlington Interchange, but we will commit to the Darlington Interchange and we will get the Torrens-to-Torrens work underway. We will continue to ensure—what's wrong, Albo?

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