Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I'm going to work methodically through the questions that I have been asked. When I complete my contribution, I know that the member for Ballarat wants to ask some more, and then I'll endeavour to wrap up with the rest of the answers.

Firstly I want to address the Leppington Triangle land situation. The government and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications are taking this matter very seriously. I want to assure the shadow minister of that. There is no question of ministerial involvement in this transaction. The report goes to the actions of the department more than two years ago. The department has agreed to all recommendations in the report and has already taken swift action to address identified shortcomings in the processes and importantly in the decision-making. The department has launched three separate investigations and inquiries into the response to the findings of the Australian National Audit Office: an investigation under the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct into the matters of staff conduct raised by the ANAO, an independent audit of the conduct of the Leppington transaction to identify any further areas of improvement or lessons learnt, and an independent review of the Western Sydney Unit's systems, processes, culture and capabilities and the unit's systemic engagement with the department's governance structures and enabling divisions. On 16 October, an AFP investigation into issues identified in the ANAO report was made public and reported in the media. As these processes are ongoing, it would be inappropriate—and I'm sure the shadow minister would concur—to make further comment. I just want to say that the approval of the purchase was undertaken by departmental officials, and that is consistent with the delegations under the Lands Acquisition Act 1989. As I said, the AFP is also investigating the issues identified in the ANAO report.

I'll now talk about the two Bruce Highway projects that the shadow minister raised. We have the Bruce Highway Rockhampton northern access upgrade, with $29.6 million of additional funding provided in the 2020-21 budget. The Australian government funding profile for this project is $126.4 million. The shadow minister also referred to the Caloundra to Sunshine motorway aspect of the Bruce Highway, with $95.2 million of additional funding provided in the 2020-21 budget, taking the Australian government funding total to $745.6 million. That's a lot of jobs. That's a huge number of jobs for Queensland. I look forward to working with the Queensland minister going forward. It might be noted, in the spirit of bipartisanship, that I had a long conversation with Mark Bailey to that end on the day after the recent Queensland election. I'm willing to work with ministers, from any political persuasion, from state and territory governments to get delivery done.

The shadow minister also asked about claimed underspends and about claimed stalling of certain projects. The shadow minister would know that state and territory governments do the contracting and tendering and essentially run the delivery and the construction of these projects. But I'm happy, as I said before, to work with any state and territory ministers—and they've been working in a good spirit of cooperation, and that's why we've been able to have that national transport freight code to get those trucks through state border closures which have impeded business activities in so many areas, particularly regional areas, during COVID-19.

The shadow minister also raised a point about the Bolivia Hill upgrade. The Australian government funding of $98 million includes $43 million of new money, additional funding, in the 2020-21 budget. This involves the construction of a 320-metre-long bridge, as part of a 2.1-kilometre realignment and widening of the New England Highway. Speaking of the New England Highway, I know how much people are looking forward to that Singleton bypass. I know how much the member for Hunter—such a shame that he's no longer on the frontbench of Labor—will be looking forward to that project, delivered under a Liberal-Nationals government. It probably wouldn't have happened under those opposite, but it is being delivered by this government. (Time expired)

A division having been called in the House—

Sitting suspended 17:16 to 17:29

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