Nick Sherry Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer
Because you flogged it off; you sold it.
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Let’s be very clear—and I thank Senator Sherry for that interjection—after having sold it—
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Perhaps, if I could just clarify, Mr President. I am somewhat confused. The question appears to be about something that those opposite sold. Is that the tenor of the question, Senator Sherry?
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Let me be clear about this—
Stephen Parry Tasmania, Liberal Party
Mr President, on a point of order. If Senator Conroy would just stick to the question asked by Senator Bushby and not refer to the interjections of Senator Sherry. It was a very, very clear question. Can he just answer the two-line question.
John Hogg President
Order, on my right! Senator Conroy, address the question and address the Chair.
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Let me be clear about this: the Rudd government will invest $35.8 billion over six years to 2013-14 in road and rail, more than double what the coalition spent over a similar period. The $35.8 billion is made up of the Nation Building Program, $26.2 billion; ARTC, $1.2 billion; and new budget investments, $8.5 billion. We will be investing a record $6 billion in 2009-10 to build new transport infrastructure and upgrade existing transport infrastructure. This builds on our first budget in 2008-09, which delivered $5.9 billion. Over the six years to 2008-09, the coalition spent only $17.3 billion on road and rail through AusLink and ARTC. So let us be clear: when it comes to infrastructure on road and rail—
Guy Barnett Tasmania, Liberal Party
Mr President, I rise on a point of order going to relevance. The question was very clear and specific. It related to rail funding in Tasmania. The minister has not touched on that in any sense at all. He absolutely has not touched on it. Could you please direct him to answer the question and be relevant.
John Hogg President
Senator Conroy, I draw your attention to the question. You have 13 seconds to continue.
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Thank you, Mr President. As I was saying, the Rudd government have demonstrated its commitment on road and rail infrastructure. We are spending more than twice what those opposite did in the same period, so let us be clear about that.
David Bushby Tasmania, Liberal Party
Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Thank you very much for that information, Minister, but I note that you failed to touch on Tasmania once. Has the government held any direct discussions with the Tasmanian transport minister, Graeme Sturgess, since the collapse of the Tasmanian rail and freight network last Wednesday?
Nick Sherry Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Treasurer
It is a private company, is it not? You sold it off.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Senators:
Opposition senators interjecting—
John Hogg President
Order! Senator Sherry and others, it is disorderly to engage in this debate across the chamber. Senator Conroy has been asked a question.
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
The Rudd Labor government have committed close to $200 million to improve Tasmanian rail infrastructure through our Nation Building Program. Minister Albanese is working constructively with the Tasmanian government to make sure that this investment delivers the best outcome for the state’s industries and communities. Those opposite crying wolf and crying crocodile tears in this area are again exposed. You are complete frauds. You cannot match—
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
I withdraw, Mr President. My apologies. Those opposite know well that this government have committed twice as much and are putting forward $200 million to improve Tasmanian rail infrastructure. You cannot escape the number because it is standing there in the budget. (Time expired)
David Bushby Tasmania, Liberal Party
Mr President, I ask another supplementary question. I thank the minister once again for reminding us of election commitments that were made before the election in terms of funding the rail. Those commitments all relate to problems—
Kim Carr Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
When did you make that commitment?
John Hogg President
Order! Senator Carr and others, the senator is entitled to be heard in silence.
David Bushby Tasmania, Liberal Party
Those commitments all relate to upgrading of the line—upgrading that was needed and had been long planned. What we face in Tasmania at the moment is a crisis with the total collapse of the rail network. I repeat the question: has the government met with Minister Graeme Sturgess to discuss the most recent crisis facing Tasmanian rail infrastructure?
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
It is extraordinary that after nearly 12 years in government those opposite now try to blame the current government for a lack of investments in rail—what a pack of shonks! You had 12 years to secure the future of Tasmanian rail and you did nothing whatsoever. You sold it off and you had every opportunity—
Richard Colbeck Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Mr President, on a point of order: if the minister does not know the answer to the question he should take it on notice. Almost 50 per cent of the funding that is there now was put in place by the previous government and, for the information of Senator Sherry, the rail tracks in Tasmania are actually owned by the Tasmanian government.
Joe Ludwig Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate
On the point of order, Mr President: we now have a point of order being taken for an explanation as to why they got the question wrong in the first place. It is not appropriate to use a point of order to try to correct the question and put the issue. The issue of relevance was raised but it was raised—
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
John Hogg President
Order! Senator Ludwig, I cannot hear you because of those near you who are calling out. It is impossible to hear you.
Joe Ludwig Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate
Mr President, I am speaking to two matters in respect of the point of order. The first matter is that it was raised as a point of order on relevance. In my submission, the minister was relevant to the question. He was talking specifically about funding of Tasmanian rail. The second matter I raise on the point of order, which in my submission you should rule out of order, is that it was not speaking to the point of order of relevance; it was in fact dealing with the question to try to correct it. I think in that sense it is impermissible.
John Hogg President
There is no point of order. Senator Conroy, you have 25 seconds to answer the question.
Stephen Conroy Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
The interjection before, masquerading as a point of order, again clearly demonstrates the way that those opposite are prepared to mislead this chamber, because they are the ones who sold this rail network. They sold it to a company that failed to invest in it. And you failed to notice— (Time expired)