Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My constituency question is to the Minister for Major Projects, Territories and Local Government. In the Corangamite electorate, there are deep concerns about the lack of infrastructure investment to improve transport links to and from Melbourne. With V/Line services currently in chaos, there is no plan from the Victorian government to duplicate the rail line through southern Geelong. There is also deep concern about the cancellation of the East West Link. Has the Andrews' government informed—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left will cease interjecting.

Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the clock did not reset; the clock did not start at the right time.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Corangamite will resume her seat.

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

The member for McEwen will cease yelling interjections. The Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: there have been times previously when our preamble has been very long and the question has been simply ruled out of order when you get to the end and there is in fact no question.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House. The member for Corangamite will just resume her seat while I listen to the Leader of the House.

Mr Champion interjecting—

The member for Wakefield—I want to hear the Leader of the House in silence. Anyone who disagrees with me will not be in the chamber. The Leader of the House.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I am informed the clock did not reset appropriately and, as a consequence, that was the reason why—

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my left will cease interjecting.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time ran out. Rather than this juvenile performance from the opposition, perhaps the member could be asked to read her question again.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. We had this situation with the member for Sydney. We are not going to have a long discussion about it. I am going to let the member for Corangamite ask her question again, as I would—the Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The member for Corangamite will resume her seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on a point of order: whether or not the clock is reset is an issue of whether you have asked the member to rephrase the question. But what has happened here is we have had the—

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right!

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

identical situation and we have had to put up with the fact that, yes, sometimes you lose a question. It cannot under be a ruling that is that strict and clear on this side of the House and then completely ignored on the other side of the House. That is not how you have been running this chamber and it should not change at this moment.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. What I am endeavouring to do is show fairness in the wake of the situation with the member for Sydney—I acknowledged that to the House. There were some interjections during the question, and I am not sure where the clock was at. I would prefer to allow the member for Corangamite to ask her question again. As I said to the House, I would prefer to show that same leniency, if this situation occurs again. So I am going to let the member for Corangamite ask her question—

Mr Husic interjecting—

without interjection—The member for Chifley is warned! The clock starts now.

Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My constituency question is to the Minister for Major Projects, Territories and Local Government. In the Corangamite electorate, there are deep concerns about the lack of infrastructure investment to improve transport links to and from Melbourne. With V/Line services currently in chaos, there is no plan from the Victorian government to duplicate the rail line through southern Geelong. There is also deep concern about the cancellation of the East West Link which would have delivered a proper western road link. Has the Andrews' government informed the Commonwealth of the commitment to fund and construct the Western Distributor project?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Corangamite for her question. The member for Corangamite has a lot of issues to cover. She is passionate on behalf of her electorate and will use every second of parliamentary time available to her in defence of her constituents. There is no issue that she will not take forward on behalf of her constituents. Be it the question of V/Line services and the regrettable mismanagement of that matter by the Victorian state government, be it telecommunications, be it infrastructure or be it TV reception, there is no stone the member for Corangamite will leave unturned in seeking to make the case for the members of her electorate. She has a particularly strong commitment to and interest in infrastructure.

The Turnbull government have committed over $7.8 billion in infrastructure projects in Victoria. We are delivering on projects like the Princes Highway duplication and the upgrading of the Great Ocean Road—and what a champion the member was for her constituents on that issue—both vital projects for the state of Victoria, vital projects for the electorate of Corangamite.

Another critical project for the state of Victoria, recognised by the Abbott government and a commitment continued by the Turnbull government, is the East West Link, to which we committed $3 billion in the 2015 budget. This project was first recommended by Rod Eddington in a report in 2006 commissioned by the Bracks Labor government. The Napthine government entered into contracts. What happened when the Andrews government came to power? They ripped up the contracts and $1.1 billion of taxpayers' money was wasted, according to the Victorian Auditor-General.

The member for Corangamite represents constituents who would be greatly advantaged were the East West Link to proceed. Should a Victorian government come forward and be ready to proceed with the East West Link then the Turnbull government would stand ready to support that project. Of course, if the Victorian government comes forward with a proposal for the Western Distributor, we will consider that on its merits. But, of course, what we need to see is the business case and we stand by our view that the East West Link would be better. If the Victorian government comes forward with a business plan as to what it proposes to proceed with, we will engage with the Victorian government in a constructive fashion.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.