Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

and they want to argue that they support it in their own electorates. They are turning up to project after project right around the nation. Whether it be a sod-turning or the announcement of new projects, whether it be a road, rail or community infrastructure project, they are turning up and arguing that somehow their electorate is different—because they have not come to terms with the fact that they lost the last election. That is their real problem, and that is why they are such a disjointed opposition which has nothing to say about any of the real challenges facing this nation. They are reduced to internal chaos, to being a rabble without a cause, because they simply are unable to come to terms with where they are at.

But we are working with the business community on the infrastructure agenda. Indeed, the BCA report yesterday said:

• The good news is that these problems are now well recognised, and economic infrastructure is now back centre stage in the economic policy debate. … the solution directions seem largely agreed, and the Commonwealth is now engaged in all sectors, including urban transport and urban water.

That is where the BCA are at. That is where the business community are at. That is where the Australian Industry Group and the Constructors Association were with their report last week, when they recognised the importance of our infrastructure investment in insulating the Australian economy from the impact of the global economic recession.

Australia is performing ahead of the rest of the world. Part of that is because of our commitment to infrastructure development. That is a commitment that is long term, a commitment that is at the heart of Labor’s economic agenda—one that has served us well to date and will serve us well into the future.

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