Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Deputy Prime Minister, when will work begin on the new Bridgewater Bridge?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. The Bridgewater Bridge is something that we have said we would fund, and we will. It's quite as simple as that. We're getting on with the job. We're working with the Tasmanian government—the Hodgman government. When I go to Tasmania, the difference between what we saw before the Hodgman government taking over the reins in Tasmania and what we see now is writ large.

The fact is there is infrastructure such as the Bridgewater Bridge which we look forward to building with the Tasmanian government. There are projects such as the Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme which we're getting on and building, and during the election campaign, it was delightful to go to the—

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

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. On relevance—it was about 'when'. Any day will do.

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

I just say to the Deputy Prime Minister—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The nearest decade.

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

I'm just going to address this issue before I call the Deputy Prime Minister. It was a very specific question, but I think I heard an interjection: 'What day?' You can't demand these sorts of—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The nearest decade.

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

Well, it was a specific question. The Deputy Prime Minister obviously needs to address the question. He's entitled to talk in the context he is, but he obviously doesn't need to feel compelled to use the entire three minutes if he doesn't want to. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's interesting to get questions about infrastructure from those opposite, because, when they were in power between 2007 and 2013, the only thing they built was their egos. But we are going to get on. We are going to get on and we're going to build the Bridgewater Bridge. The fact is there are issues that Infrastructure Australia has identified with that particular project. There are some unresolved engineering issues; there are some cost factors. When we get those issues resolved—and we will, because we are a government that does things; we are a government that builds things—we will get on with that project, just like we will get on with other projects right throughout Tasmania. Mr Speaker, we're building—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

The Deputy Prime Minister will pause. Members on my left, including the member for Ballarat, keep interjecting on the minister. If they'd listened instead of interjecting, he's actually answered the question—

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They're just rude, Mr Speaker.

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

No, don't try and help. Please don't try and help. But the Deputy Prime Minister has, after giving some context, just actually answered what the issues are. Now, if you want to keep persisting with 'Who kicked the third goal in the 1971 grand final?' that's fine, but he's actually, I believe, been very relevant and has given the answer that he can at this point. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Whether it's the Bridgewater Bridge—which we will build in conjunction with the Hodgman Liberal government—whether it's the Bass Highway, whether it's the Forthside irrigation project, whether it's the Scottsdale Irrigation Scheme, we're getting on and we're building a better Tasmania, just like we're building our future right across this nation, for the member's electorate, for the member for Grayndler's electorate. No matter which electorate it is, we're building our future, we're building a better Australia and we're getting on and doing it.