House debates Motions

Prime Minister

Thursday, 27 February 2020 House of Representatives

Ms Catherine King

Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development

9:31 am

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes the Prime Minister:

(a) has taken his rorts to the streets, allocating more than 83 percent of the $3 billion Urban Congestion Fund to Liberal seats and marginal seats targeted by the Liberal Party;

(b) allocated funding to every Liberal seat that was marginal or under threat, as well as several marginal regional electorates held or targeted by the Liberal Party;

(c) did not allocate a cent to address congestion in 38 urban and regional city seats held by non-Government Members;

(d) incorrectly claimed the projects were election commitments, when the Urban Congestion Fund was established in the 2018 Budget;

(e) did not release any guidelines, did not formally call for expressions of interest, did not spend a cent from the Urban Congestion Fund in 2018-19, but did spend $17 million of government resources on pre-election advertisements telling us how good it was; and

(f) repeatedly sought to downplay and dismiss the serious allegation that his government continually spends taxpayer dollars for private political gain; and

(2) therefore calls on the Prime Minister to:

(a) correct his incorrect statement that Urban Congestion Fund projects are election commitments; and

(b) explain why his Government used taxpayer money as though it was its own personal marketing fund.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent the member for Ballarat from moving the following motion immediately:

That the House:

(1) notes the Prime Minister:

(a) has taken his rorts to the streets, allocating more than 83 percent of the $3 billion Urban Congestion Fund to Liberal seats and marginal seats targeted by the Liberal Party;

(b) allocated funding to every Liberal seat that was marginal or under threat, as well as several marginal regional electorates held or targeted by the Liberal Party;

(c) did not allocate a cent to address congestion in 38 urban and regional city seats held by non-Government Members;

(d) incorrectly claimed the projects were election commitments, when the Urban Congestion Fund was established in the 2018 Budget;

(e) did not release any guidelines, did not formally call for expressions of interest, did not spend a cent from the Urban Congestion Fund in 2018-19, but did spend $17 million of government resources on pre-election advertisements telling us how good it was; and

(f) repeatedly sought to downplay and dismiss the serious allegation that his government continually spends taxpayer dollars for private political gain; and

(2) therefore calls on the Prime Minister to:

(a) correct his incorrect statement that Urban Congestion Fund projects are election commitments; and

(b) explain why his Government used taxpayer money as though it was its own personal marketing fund.

There is not a program that this government will not rort for its own political—

Darren Chester

Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House

9:34 am

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The question is that the member for Ballarat be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:41 am

Is the motion seconded?

Andrew Giles

Andrew Giles Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Cities and Urban Infrastructure

9:42 am

I second it. This is pork 'n' ride. Another rort from a government of rorts and cheaters who will take responsibility—

Darren Chester

Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House

I move:

That the Member be no longer heard.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The question is that the member for Scullin be no further heard.

Pat Conroy

Pat Conroy Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific

9:44 am

Corruption, pure and simple—94 per cent to one seat on the Central Coast.

Darren Chester

Darren Chester Gippsland, National Party, Deputy Leader of the House

9:46 am

I move:

That the question be put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

The question is that the question be put.

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

9:51 am

The question is that the motion moved by the member for Ballarat be agreed to.