Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I ask the Prime Minister to advise the House how infrastructure projects will create jobs and strengthen the Victorian economy. Can he further advise the House what threats there are to the Victorian economy?

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

I thank the member for Casey for his question and I thank him for his support for the East West Link, which will do so much for the people of his electorate and for the people of Melbourne.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! The member for Chifley will leave under standing order 94(a).

The member for Chifley then left the chamber.

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

Melbourne is a great city, but it is a great city that is currently choking on its own traffic. Victoria is an economic powerhouse, but it needs the infrastructure of the 21st century, particularly the roads of the 21st century, if it is to grow as it should. I say to everyone who has ever been stuck in traffic on Hoddle Street, Flemington Road or Alexandra Parade—and that must be just about everyone in Melbourne: vote for the solution; do not vote for the problem.

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The member for Corio and the member for Melbourne Ports are warned!

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

Vote for Denis Napthine, who will build the East West Link, not for the Labor Party, who want to tear up the contracts. The East West Link stage 1 will get rid of 23 sets of traffic lights, it will give back to inner city residents their suburbs and their parks, it will save 20 minutes every single day for the occupants of 100,000 cars and trucks, and—best of all—it will create almost 4,000 jobs. The East West Link stage 1 will create almost 4,000 jobs.

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why don't you say that in Melbourne? Don't say it here; say it in Melbourne!

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

The member for Greenway is warned!

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

Combined with East West Link stage 2, that is 7,000 jobs for Melbourne. I have said it any number of times in Victoria, including just a couple of weeks ago.

Ms Rowland interjecting—

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

The member for Greenway will leave under standing order 94(a).

The member for Greenway then left the chamber.

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

Madam Speaker—

Government members interjecting—

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

There will be silence on my right!

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

I am invited to hold a press conference on this tomorrow. I might suggest that the Leader of the Opposition should revisit this subject, because who said this: 'The new East West Link is crucial to jobs and economic growth'? I wonder who said that? It was someone called Bill Shorten, National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union. Speaking of press conferences, who said this of East West Link: 'Doing nothing is not an option'? Again, it was someone called Bill Shorten—and Brendan O'Connor, Julia Gillard and Nicola Roxon. What has got into them? I tell you what: they are now putting Greens preferences ahead of the infrastructure and the jobs that Melbourne needs. Shame on them!

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

The member for Griffith on a point of order.

Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Correct titles!

Honourable members interjecting—

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

There will be silence before I give the call to the honourable Leader of the Opposition, and that includes on my right. The honourable Prime Minister.

An honourable member interjecting—

He did have the call.

An honourable member interjecting—

For your benefit alone, I will repeat it: the honourable Prime Minister had the call.