Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week was a great week. It was a great week for the Western Corridor and particularly for all Ipswich Motorway users. After more than a decade of campaigning for an upgrade of the Ipswich Motorway, it took a Labor government to deliver it. That is the reality—a Labor government delivered it after more than 10 years and $1.76 billion of investment. The reality is that the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon. Anthony Albanese; and the federal member for Blair, Shayne Neumann; and I officially opened a fully completed Ipswich Motorway. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of infrastructure in this country. It is one of the best delivered projects. It was six months ahead of schedule and under budget. That is proper road delivery. That is proper infrastructure delivery. That is the stuff that Labor does in this country compared to the bleating that we have from the sheep on the opposition side, who just carry on about roads but for 12 years would not deliver a road in their own electorates—not even one road.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The parliamentary secretary will refer to members by their title.

Opposition members interjecting—

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I ask the member to withdraw his insulting comment.

Mr Husic interjecting—

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You do not have the call. Parliamentary Secretary, I know we are taking your time. If there is less noise I will extend the courtesies to you, but I would ask that you withdraw that imputation.

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw any reference to sheep.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I will sit you down. You will withdraw unreservedly.

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do withdraw unreservedly, completely, without reservation.

Bruce Scott (Maranoa, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The parliamentary secretary now has the call.

Bernie Ripoll (Oxley, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This project is an example of good Labor government delivering really good infrastructure projects. We promised a project and we delivered it. We delivered it ahead of time, we delivered it on budget and we saved taxpayers' money.

This project is not just about the 90,000 road users on the Ipswich Motorway every single day; it is also about the people who live there. It is about their lifestyle, how they get their kids to school and how they go shopping. It is about the service roads and what we have done for pedestrians—linking communities once again. It is about cyclists being able to go up and down beside the motorway, not on the motorway. It is about making sure that there are real 21st century safety standards for all of the people who travel up and down the Western Corridor, through to places like Toowoomba, Warwick and Ipswich and back. It is for trucks and commuters alike. It is for everybody involved.

This is one the best projects in the country. It is an absolute star example of what can be done when governments at federal and state levels, but fully federally funded, work with an alliance group of contractors and with the community to deliver a fantastic project. We dealt with every single issue, every single concern, every single complaint to deliver a first-grade and absolutely first-class infrastructure project. It is just an example of what this Labor government can do. I am exceptionally proud of that. I am exceptionally proud that we delivered that immensely difficult project under full traffic conditions not only ahead of time but also ahead of budget.

Can I just remind people that all the way along, while this project was underway, the opposition, the Liberal and National parties, opposed it 100 per cent, but they had the audacity at the end of it to stand at the pulpit and claim some credit. Shame on them. I am very glad that the motorway is done and delivered by a Labor government.