Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

Anyhow, talking of freedom of speech, I do reflect on the fact that the member has previously had very strong views about infrastructure developments, just as others are entitled to have the types of views about infrastructure developments that this bill is supposed to allow communities to have, to be able to have some impact on the way in which plans are made. While the member for Hughes during his contribution suggested that the Badgerys Creek airport would have massive job-creating impacts in Western Sydney, the reality is that in my part of Western Sydney it won't have anywhere near the impact. In fact, the coalition hung its hat on the claim that this airport would be needed in Western Sydney to create jobs. They said thousands of jobs would be created for Western Sydney. But it was interesting to note the sheepish admission from the Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities a few months ago. We had been saying for ages, 'Put a figure on the number of jobs that will be created in Western Sydney by this.'—because the job figure bounces around like a ping-pong ball. On top of that, there is no firm commitment from them about whether or not the bulk of the jobs would be created.

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