Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Urban Infrastructure) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member Dunkley, who has a strong interest in infrastructure. I well remember being with him to announce the $4 million commitment for a study into the electrification of the Frankston line. With his commitment to infrastructure, he will welcome the $75 billion commitment to infrastructure spending in this budget. It is an infrastructure package that delivers benefits for our nation: in Western Australia a $2.3 billion package including nearly $800 million for the Thornlie and Yanchep lines extensions, subject to business cases being assessed by Infrastructure Australia; a billion dollar package in Victoria including over $500 million for regional rail, including the Geelong line; and $30 million for a business case into a rail connection between Melbourne city and Tullamarine airport. If there is rail from the city of Sydney to Sydney Airport, rail from the city of Brisbane to Brisbane Airport and rail being built from Perth to Perth Airport, then a city like Melbourne, a major city, deserves a rail connection to the airport. That is why we have committed $30 million for business case funding for this project. This is a national government committing to national infrastructure projects including $8.4 billion for the Inland Rail and a national rail—

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