Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, most grievously by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Please proceed.

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In question time today the Minister for Transport and Regional Services sought to misrepresent the views of the Australian Labor Party and me as shadow minister on two very important rail infrastructure issues. Firstly, he suggested that the opposition did not support the inland railway proposal.

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In his opening remarks to a personal explanation, the member said something that was misrepresenting the Labor Party.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member will resume his seat. I suggest that if the member heard correctly he would also have heard the member for Batman say that he personally had also been misrepresented.

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can understand why the Prime Minister sent him to the back bench, Mr Speaker. The Deputy Prime Minister suggested that the Labor Party did not support the inland railway. This is incorrect. In a speech on 18 July at the Australian Rail Summit in Sydney entitled ‘Federal Labor’s vision for rail in a national intermodal transport system’, I clearly stated that the opposition supported the inland rail link between Melbourne and Brisbane as the next logical step to build on the 2006 north-south rail corridor study report.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Mackellar! The member for Batman has the call and he will be heard.

Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Secondly, the Deputy Prime Minister and minister for transport suggested that we were about moving away from the importance of rail freight. In that speech I also indicated that both sides of politics now agree that the role of the national government in transport infrastructure centres around the national rail freight task. I also indicated that that suits the needs of the economy, freeing up state and territory funds for public transport. I seek leave to table the speech of 18 July setting out the national Labor Party rail priorities. I simply ask that the minister read it and learn about transport infrastructure in Australia.

Leave granted.