Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Twelve months ago Australia's infrastructure investments were a mess of waste, rorts and broken promises. How has the Albanese Labor government cleaned up the mess and delivered on its commitments, and what more is left to do?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I want to hear from the Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The standing orders are very clear as to the matters about which a minister can be asked. Speakers in the past have ruled questions in whole or in part out of order where the text refers to things that happened, in this case, before the minister became the minister, and I ask that you do that for this question.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I want to hear from the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The part that the Manager of Opposition Business is objecting to is the part that sets the context of the question. I don't think it is in the opposition's interest to be taking out the concept that you can set the context of a question given that almost all their questions do that. The question itself asks how the government has cleaned up the mess that was just referred to and delivered on its commitments, which is clearly the job of the minister.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This issue was dealt with last week. I will listen to the minister carefully. This is not an excuse. The minister knows that she cannot simply give an answer regarding the former minister. She will have to set some context, but the majority of her answer, I am going to listen to carefully to make sure it is within the standing orders. I give her the call.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. They seem a little sensitive over on that side about these issues. I thank very much the member for Bendigo for her question. She knows how important infrastructure investment is in her electorate. It is why she is such a strong advocate for projects like the Bendigo Airport upgrade and is supporting making sure that we have strong rail manufacturing here in Australia.

Of course, just over 12 months ago, our government inherited an infrastructure investment portfolio that was chock-full of waste, rorts and undelivered promises. Under those opposite, Australians suffered through a wasted decade that saw many communities miss out on investments that they needed. Over the last 12 months, we have had a lot of work to do to repair the damage and put Australian infrastructure back on a sustainable footing. I'm very happy to report that that job is well underway.

We are getting Inland Rail back on track. The first deal for flights to operate out of Western Sydney International Airport have been secured, with the airport having a milestone recently. The Prime Minister and I visited it recently, and the airport itself is 50 per cent complete. We have created new trusted and fair grants programs for every community, from the city to the bush. We are returning Infrastructure Australia to its rightful role as the Commonwealth's infrastructure advisor. We are delivering an aviation white paper. We are partnering with Queensland to deliver the Brisbane Olympics and we are working with the states and territories to clean up the infrastructure investment pipeline. We have established the High Speed Rail Authority, focusing first on the detailed case from Newcastle to Sydney. We are investing in the Cairns marine precinct. We are building the Rocky ring road and we are getting on with projects all along the Bruce Highway.

We are listening to local communities and we are bringing the Australian Council of Local Governments back here to Canberra. Importantly, we are investing a further $250 million to fix our local roads. We are investing $2.2 billion in the Suburban Rail Loop East. We are creating a maritime strategic fleet and we are introducing Australia's first fuel efficiency standard. We are revitalising the Muswellbrook town centre, which will be opening very soon. We are sealing the Tanami in Western Australia and in the Northern Territory, and we are building a metro line to Western Sydney.

Working together, we have done an awful lot. But the thing is, with infrastructure investment, that job is never done. There is always another road to build, another rail line to upgrade, another job-creating project to invest in. Working cooperatively with states and territories with a revitalised Infrastructure Australia, we will keep investing in those projects all around the nation to deliver a better future for all Australians.