Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As for the new projects, there is $50 million, and $150 million in total, for the Geelong rail duplication project, a new project, along with the upgrade of the Warrnambool line. The Labor Party in Victoria has put only $20 million into that project. We've put nearly $300 million. Member for Gellibrand, our government has committed $150 million to the rail duplication project to ensure that Geelong and Corangamite residents can get faster and more reliable rail services. This is a very important part of our city deal. Mr Deputy Speaker Hogan, in response, do you know what the Labor Party has put in? It has put in $10 million only. It can't even get a business plan completed in under two years. The office of the Minister for Public Transport told my office, through the minister, last Friday that they had sent the business plan in the mail, and it still hasn't arrived. They're so incompetent that they can't even send a business plan to the minister for infrastructure.

As for the member for Grayndler, when he was the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, AirAsia struck a deal with Avalon Airport. Labor blocked that deal. Labor would not give permission for the building of an international terminal. The member for Corio said this was not in the interests of Geelong or Australia. It was an absolutely shameful decision, and it took 10 years for AirAsia to build its confidence. We are absolutely fixing this and delivering Victoria's second international airport. The other terrible decision made by Labor when it was in government was that it absolutely turned its back on the Great Ocean Road. That was a decision made by the member for Grayndler. He refused to put any money into the Great Ocean Road, which is one of the most iconic and important roads in our country.

Labor has a shameful record. The member for Gellibrand has failed to stand up for his constituents in the west of Melbourne. As he leaves this chamber, I say thank you to the Turnbull government for investing in regional Victoria, in regional rail, in regional airports and in infrastructure across Victoria and this nation.

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