Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. I refer the minister to the government's $75 billion infrastructure investment. Will the minister update the House on how this investment is creating jobs in my home state of Victoria? What are the threats to the delivery of key infrastructure projects?

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for La Trobe for his question. He is always on the side of his community. He is a tireless worker for better infrastructure in his community, particularly projects like the Monash Freeway upgrade. And the Turnbull-Joyce government is delivering for infrastructure in Victoria. We are planning to reduce congestion, to improve productivity and also to save lives on our roads. We saw that last year, with the $3 billion deal we announced for Victoria and the package which will include $1 billion for the Monash Freeway. That package will include $690 million for rural and regional roads. It has been welcomed in the seats of Corangamite, Wannon, McMillan, Murray, Flinders—right across Victoria, in fact. And this year we announced another $500 million under our regional rail package. We are looking to do more. We are looking to do more longer-term projects in Victoria.

But, in our efforts to build more infrastructure, help create more jobs and deliver more value for money for Australians, we are being blocked. We are being blocked by the Labor Party and the unions. They are standing in our way.

The member for La Trobe asked about threats to the delivery of infrastructure projects here in Australia. There is a big threat, and we have heard about it today. It is called 'the construction division of the CFMEU'. It is called 'John Setka'. Speaking of that, earlier this week John Setka said that 'people might have to wait longer than they think' for infrastructure projects in Victoria.

Member for Grayndler, your party has got to get 'better than this'. Don't talk to me about 'better than this'. Your party has got to get better than this.

The Productivity Commission report into public infrastructure in 2014 found:

A prominent concern is that union and employer behaviour is not only fuelling unlawful conduct, but also frustrating productivity and raising costs.

As I said earlier—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for La Trobe knows whose side he is on. He is on the side of the Australian taxpayers who want value for money for infrastructure projects.

The Leader of the Opposition cannot stay on the side of this union thug. This is a quote from John Setka, who said this week:

Let me give a dire warning to the ABCC inspectors: be careful what you do …

…   …   …

We will lobby their neighbourhoods. We will tell them who lives in that house. …

They will not be able to show their faces anywhere. Their kids will be ashamed of who their parents are …

Decent Australians are disgusted and they are revolted by these bullying tactics, and we are on their side. On this side of the chamber, we are on their side. John Setka and the CFMEU construction division make Norm Gallagher and the BLF look like a bunch of choirboys.

Bob Hawke actually deregistered the BLF. This leader of the Labor Party continues to accept CFMEU money in the form of political donations. John Setka has gone too far, and those opposite know that. The member for Grayndler has supported the police being called in to investigate John Setka's comments, but the current Leader of the Opposition has only 'disassociated' himself from the remarks. It is not good enough to slap them with a wet lettuce. The Leader of the Opposition needs to abandon all ties with the CFMEU and to stop accepting their donations.

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

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