House debates Questions without Notice
Western Sydney Airport
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
2:32 pm
My question is to the Deputy Prime Minister. Why does the Deputy Prime Minister say that paying $30 million for a piece of land valued at $3 million is a bargain?
Michael McCormack Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
I welcome a question from the member for Ballarat on infrastructure—I do. It's a portfolio they've never had much of an interest in, to be perfectly frank. I welcome a question about Western Sydney airport. It's an airport that will generate $5.8 billion—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
An honourable member interjecting—
Michael McCormack Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
don't you start; I'll come to you in a minute—to the value of the Australian economy. It is an airport that is going to return $1.80 for every dollar of investment, an airport that is supporting 11,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction and, indeed, 28,000 jobs post construction, within five years of opening. That is significant. It's an airport Labor would never ever have built. It's the type of infrastructure that Labor never supported in six failed years of government. I remember, certainly, the last three of them. This department, of course, is taking the matter of the airport and Leppington very seriously, and it's been the subject of Senate estimates.
Let's just get on—the member for Grayndler talks about his involvement in Western Sydney airport—
Michael McCormack Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
He welcomed it a minute ago; he wanted me to, Mr Speaker.
Tony Smith Speaker
I don't care what he welcomes; I've got to enforce the standing orders. The question was very specific and it didn't have any of the scope to enable the Deputy Prime Minister to turn down the road he's clearly seeking to turn.
Michael McCormack Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
Or the flight path, perhaps, Mr Speaker.
Michael McCormack Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
Western Sydney airport is a significant infrastructure project. It is transforming Western Sydney. It is producing jobs, it is producing opportunity, it is not—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Deputy Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts
On direct relevance: the question asks only one thing, which is, 'Why does he consider it a bargain?' It doesn't go to anything else at all, and the Deputy Prime Minister should address that issue.
Tony Smith Speaker
I concur, actually, with the point of order that's just been made, but I would say to the Manager of Opposition Business: in terms of the Deputy Prime Minister's answer, because the question was so specific, I've listened very, very carefully to every word. In terms of how he addressed that question, he was completely relevant for the first part of it. The question didn't have a preamble and it didn't allow him scope to move onto the broader subject. But I would say he certainly addressed and was relevant to the question in the beginning of his answer.
Michael McCormack Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals
The land around Western Sydney airport which was purchased by the federal government is now the subject of several inquiries, and that is due process. We are following the due process. In time, decades from now when they're building a second runway, when they're putting in place valuable infrastructure that is going to be needed, it will be in Commonwealth hands and that is a good thing.