Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In response to questioning from the Greens, Infrastructure Australia has revealed to Senate estimates that every $1 spent on the proposed East West Link will generate only 80c of direct benefits in return, and that is according to the Victorian Liberal government's own business case. Prime Minister, will you now abandon your pledge to tip $1½ billion into this toxic project, which will not just wreck inner city Melbourne but lose money as well?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question, and I presume that he and the Leader of the Opposition are on a unity ticket on this, as they are on so many other things. The Greens oppose the East West Link. The Leader of the Opposition likewise opposes the East West Link. I have two pieces of information for the member and, indeed, for his collaborator the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Isaacs will remove himself under 94(a).

The member for Isaacs then left the chamber.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I assume that the Leader of the Opposition has been given a document from the Victorian government, the published business case, stating that there will be $1.40 of value for every $1 invested in the East West Link. The other point I make to the Leader of the Opposition, who is so concerned, and to the member who asked the question: if the Leader of the Opposition is as concerned about jobs as he claims, and as I believe deep down he is, he will support a project that will create almost 3,500 jobs in its construction phase. He will support that. I am quite happy for support for the East West Link in this parliament to be a litmus test. Who is in favour of jobs in Victoria? Those who support the East West Link are in favour of jobs in Victoria. Those who are not, like the Leader of the Opposition and the member who asked the question, are against Victorian jobs.