Sam Rae (Hawke, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Barker for moving this motion about the contrast in approach between the former Liberal government and the Albanese Labor government's investment in transport infrastructure. The former Liberal government left a terrible economic legacy: a trillion dollars of debt with no meaningful economic dividend to show for it. For almost a decade, those opposite were making up infrastructure announcements and promises without thinking about how or when they could reasonably be delivered. They spent more time printing gloss than pouring concrete or asphalt. As a result, they left a catalogue of undercosted projects, many without a feasible plan for delivery. In the lead-up to the 2019 election there were imaginary commuter car parks promised in marginal seats without consideration for or consultation with local or state governments. Even the former Treasurer, the former member for Kooyong, promised four car parks in his electorate before later abandoning every single one of them.

Despite the decade of waste under the former Liberal government, the Albanese Labor government is taking responsibility for infrastructure investment. We are delivering on our election commitments and ensuring that government infrastructure spending is responsible and sustainable. We have rid the federal infrastructure budget of the waste and rorts we inherited and have begun the rollout of a $123 billion infrastructure pipeline.

We're restoring the role of Infrastructure Australia in this process and working closely with state and territory governments to ensure projects will deliver a boost to productivity and, importantly, deliver an economic dividend for the Australian people. These measures are not just about fairness and integrity but also about ensuring our infrastructure agenda makes economic sense. Investment in infrastructure should drive economic growth and create opportunity for people and industry alike. Through this growth and opportunity, public infrastructure investment should provide a strong return for increased individual and collective productivity.

After coming to government last year, we put all existing infrastructure spending through a rigorous review. All Infrastructure Investment Program projects were considered through the audit of wasteful spending, a review of March budget measures and a review of the timing of existing investments. This repositioning of projects was a reflection of our commitment to transparent and economically responsible infrastructure investment. This process ensured that, unlikely the former Liberal government, funding allocated by the Albanese Labor government will go to where it is needed most.

My electorate of Hawke is home to one of the fastest growing populations in the country. I understand the need for serious investment in our transport infrastructure, as does my community. The Western Highway is one of the main arterial roads through Hawke, with 77,000 vehicles travelling the stretch between Melton and Caroline Springs every day. Although Melton is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia, the last time this crucial road was upgraded was under the last Labor government and then Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, a bloke named Anthony Albanese. Since then our community has suffered nine long years of neglect under the former Liberal government as their infrastructure priorities were dictated by electoral margins rather than need. Now a further upgrade is long overdue, and that's why the Albanese Labor government is kickstarting the Western Highway upgrade with a $10 million business case required to get things moving. Secured in October's budget this business case is the critical first step in ensuring the safety and efficiency of this crucial road link.

Ahead of the Victorian state election the Andrews Labor government, the Victorian state government, matched our commitment. They understood the value of it, and they laid the foundation for a collaborative approach to delivering this upgrade. The state and federal Labor governments are working closely together to ensure the project is delivered efficiently and with future growth along the corridor in mind. The contrast could not be more clear. The former Liberal government wasted and rorted their way through nine long years to the detriment of our country and in particular to communities like mine. Now the Albanese government is taking a considered approach to ensuring infrastructure investment is directed where it is needed most. It is absolutely clear that only Labor governments can be relied upon to deliver the infrastructure that our communities need the most.

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