Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development) Share this | Hansard source

That is the typical arrangement!

The Perth Freight Link will be an enormously beneficial project. The member for Swan knows very well how beneficial this project will be. We have been working very well with the Western Australian government.

The final point I will make in relation to public transport projects is that the Deputy Prime Minister is absolutely right about the $25 billion of projects that have been announced by state governments since the federal election. Fifty per cent of public transport travel in Australia is by bus, and of course buses use roads to travel on. That is another point the member for Grayndler does not like to acknowledge.

The Asset Recycling Initiative will get public transport projects happening across the country—a terrific innovation encouraging states to use their balance sheets more effectively. In fact, it is interesting that even the ACT government is selling assets to take advantage of this. We think even the South Australian government might do it. Interestingly, there are already South Australian assets listed on the website. So it will be very interesting to see whether the South Australian government takes advantage of this innovation. This budget is delivering $50 billion in infrastructure, $16 billion more than if the member for Grayndler had continued in the infrastructure portfolio after the election in September last year.

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