Julie Owens (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How are all local communities benefiting from the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure program? How does the allocation of funding across electorates compare with previous programs?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank member for Parramatta for her question. There has been some commentary today about how the funding for the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure program matches up to the political balance in the House of Representatives. I must say I was surprised by some of the commentary because it simply does not stack up to analysis. Indeed, Labor members of parliament—those fine men and women on this side of the chamber—make up some 55 per cent of the House of Representatives. We, the electorates represented by the fine men and women here, got 53 per cent of the funding for the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure program.

It was also claimed that marginal electorates received a disproportionate amount of the funding. Marginal seats, measured by the standard measure of a margin of less than five per cent, make up a third of the seats in this parliament. They received less than a quarter of the funding under this program. By comparison, safe electorates—the standard measure is a margin of more than 10 per cent—make up 35 per cent of this parliament. They received 41 per cent of the funding. Indeed, one of the comments that came from local governments as a result of this program, whether in safe Labor seats or safe Liberal seats, was that it was the first time that the government had recognised that you should not have to be in a marginal seat to get funding from the Commonwealth government. Certainly the Mayor of Mosman was very vocal about that, as were the Mayor of Warringah, the Mayor of Ku-ring-gai and a number of the mayors represented opposite.

The other statement that was made was a claim that funding went disproportionately to Labor heartland seats. Well, safe Labor seats, as measured, received an average of $3.5 million. Safe non-Labor seats received an average of $6.1 million across the program. The great benefit of this program was not that bureaucrats sat down and made decisions; it was that local government made applications as a result of their priorities that they determined as local representatives. Indeed, every single local government area in the country—all 565—benefited from at least $100,000 of the funding under the first component.

But let us look at the top 10 projects—and I am glad the Prime Minister selects the frontbench now, because I am not sure I am doing myself some favours with the caucus! Of the top 10 projects, the first is Gold Coast Stadium in Moncrieff, a Liberal electorate—$36 million. Do you support that funding or not? Do you support it? I think the member for Moncrieff supports that project.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The minister at the table was drifting away from the issue and he was asking you directly if you support these initiatives. I ask you to bring him back and ask him to—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for North Sydney will resume his seat. The minister will refer his remarks through the chair. Rhetorical questions are not very helpful.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Stop spending money!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for North Sydney wants the spending to stop, but none of his colleagues do. The member for Dickson is so keen about the Gold Coast Stadium that he is moving there to get a piece of the action—so keen is he.

The second is the Einasleigh River bridge in the electorate of Kennedy, a flood-affected area. We gave special consideration to those areas affected by floods or bushfires. It came second—$18 million.

The third was the Flinders Street Mall redevelopment in Townsville, in the electorate of Herbert, again held by the Liberal Party. The member for Herbert is nodding. He supports this funding of $16.2 million. He does. He nods in support of this funding. I say to the member for North Sydney: look around you and talk to your colleagues.

The fourth was the Goulburn River High Country Rail Trail, in the electorates of Indi and McEwen, again two Liberal electorates.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Stop spending money!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The only person saying, ‘Stop spending money,’ Joe, is you, because last week I was out with your backbenchers, with them campaigning for extra money from the second round.

The fact is that this compares in stark contrast with what the former government did, and I was asked about that. Under the former government’s Regional Partnerships program—the ‘Regional Rorts’ program—one-third of the funding went to just 10 coalition electorates—not a single Labor electorate on the list, not one. I sat in this place for 12 years and there was not a single grant to my electorate, not one. The fact is that those opposite rorted the Regional Partnerships program. They did not go through local government; they went through the private sector. There was a million dollars for an ethanol plant in Gunnedah that does not exist, $420,000 for a cheese factory that closed down and $845,000 for a rail line that burnt down. The contrast is very stark.

We on this side of the House have set up a rigorous process that stacks up, that does not advantage us politically, and that stands in stark contrast to the actions of those involved with their ‘Regional Rorts’ program.