Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is astonishing listening to members opposite trying to defend the indefensible. This Abbott Liberal government has an appalling record when it comes to investment in infrastructure. As the Leader of the Opposition outlined in his budget reply:

This is the first Budget in living memory with not one significant infrastructure project funded.

Not one. The latest figures for infrastructure investment show public sector spending on infrastructure falling by 17.3 per cent between the December quarter of 2013 and the December quarter of 2014, with private sector spending falling by 12 per cent. In contrast, under the federal Labor government Australia's national investment level as a proportion of GDP rose from No. 20 to No. 1 in the OECD in 2011 and 2012.

While I accept that it is a hard task for members opposite to try to beat No. 1, no-one—I repeat: no-one—anticipated this government's dissent into complete high farce when it came to infrastructure in Australia—the grand magical mystery tour that this government embarks on as it zips around the country re-announcing, renaming, rebranding, reallocating and recycling Labor's funding and commitments in infrastructure. It is in fact very fitting of a cameo appearance in utopia, where nation building becomes theatre of the absurd. That is what it is like watching these guys trying to defend their appalling record in infrastructure in Australia. Over 18 months they have re-announced literally dozens of projects. I must say, the member for Grayndler has done a sterling job in bringing it to the House's attention each and every time, and I congratulate him for doing so.

But in addition to renaming, rebranding, recycling, reallocating and re-announcing, there is a sixth R that should be added into this, and that is of course 'ridiculous'—the ridiculous nature by which this government tries to defend the indefensible. My electorate of Newcastle and the neighbouring areas of the Lake Macquarie and Hunter regions form Australia's largest regional economy, generating an estimated $38.5 billion. But we are a region that is completely ignored by this government. As the Newcastle Herald pointed out in its budget wrap-up this year:

Mr Hockey's first Budget a year ago was light on capital works detail for the Hunter … and this document follows suit.

That is the assessment of my region of your second budget—nothing in there in infrastructure for the Hunter region. We have seen no new funding for infrastructure and millions pulled from major enabling projects. The Glendale transport interchange, a really important piece of infrastructure in the seat of my colleague and neighbour the member for Charlton, has been identified by Regional Development Australia, by their RDA Hunter Committee, as our region's No. 1 priority piece of infrastructure. It is needed for the continued growth and development of our region. Was there any funding in this budget for a Glendale interchange? Nothing. How about the 11 combined Hunter councils that unanimously identified it as the most strategically significant infrastructure project in the region? Does it appear anywhere in the Abbott government's budget papers? Well, in the words of this Prime Minister: Nope. Nope. Nope. What about high-speed rail? High-speed rail has the potential to completely transform the city of Newcastle. But, again, the Abbott Liberal government has taken it completely off the table. The $52 million in seed funding that Labor provided for high-speed rail planning and corridor protection was pulled from the budget and not restored by this one that we saw just a couple of weeks ago.

We are just 150 kilometres from Sydney, yet the journey by road or rail today takes between two and three hours. High-speed rail could transform our local economy. It is wanted by businesses in our community, it is wanted by the commuters in our community and it is wanted by our manufacturers. So, why doesn't this government step up to the mark, start investing in infrastructure in Australia and understanding the needs of regional communities like Newcastle and the Hunter and put some money in there where it is needed most?

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