House debates

Thursday, 11 May 2017

Questions without Notice

Infrastructure

2:42 pm

Photo of Chris CrewtherChris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister for Urban Infrastructure. Will the minister update the House on the government's investment in major projects right across the country? How is the government's $75 billion infrastructure package going to boost productivity and increase livability in our states and territories, including in my electorate of Dunkley?

2:43 pm

Photo of Paul FletcherPaul 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—

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Lyons on a point of order.

Photo of Brian MitchellBrian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I raise a point of order on relevance: the minister is talking about infrastructure for the national program, but he has not mentioned Tasmania.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Lyons will resume his seat. It is a frivolous point of order. If he repeats it, he will be ejected from the chamber.

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

A $10 billion national rail program, with money starting to flow from 2019-20, that recognises that in our major cities around Australia there are rail projects that have the capacity to move people more efficiently and quickly and are city shaping. This is a major commitment to Australia's cities and to their surrounding regional areas. Of course, Western Sydney airport is a $5.3 billion equity commitment for a project that stayed in the too hard basket for too long. This government is committing to build Western Sydney airport with a $5.3 billion equity commitment.

Mr Speaker, you are seeing a significant shift to a greater use of equity and loan investment in this budget, in our approach to infrastructure. You are seeing a commitment to national priorities that no one state government can deliver, such as the inland rail running right along the eastern seaboard—running inland through Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland—and supporting a mode shift in freight from road to rail. National infrastructure priorities are being delivered in this $75 billion infrastructure spend. (Time expired)