Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Makin for his thoughtful contribution and recognise that, yes, a substantial part of this proposal will go to the people of South Australia and to the improvement of roads in South Australia. I would just say to him, in relation to the rest of the infrastructure, that I have repeatedly asked the South Australian government to bring forward major proposals, including through the asset-recycling scheme, and as it stands today they have not given us any proposals that meet the criteria—that is, the infrastructure proposal needs to have a reasonable cost-benefit analysis.

Having said that—and the Prime Minister has indicated this—we are prepared to work in good faith with Jay Weatherill and the South Australian government to find the projects and to help fund the projects that are necessary to build the South Australian economy. I genuinely want to build a stronger South Australian economy. I genuinely do. I love South Australia.

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