Senate debates Questions without Notice
Queensland: Infrastructure
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party
2:43 pm
My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Senator Scullin. How much is allocated in the federal government's forward estimates for the proposal of Queensland opposition leader, Mr Tim Nicholls, to build a second motorway at the Gold Coast in Queensland?
Nigel Scullion NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
2:44 pm
I don't have those details to hand. I'll just have to take them on notice.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party
What analysis has the federal government undertaken into the cost of building a second motorway at the Gold Coast?
Nigel Scullion NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Again, I'll have to take those details on notice, but I can assure you that a cost-benefit analysis is done in line with us making an investment in all of these areas. As I said, I will have to get you the details, but that's our policy.
Scott Ryan President, Special Minister of State
Senator Watt, a further supplementary question.
Murray Watt Queensland, Australian Labor Party
Given the minister will not confirm the total cost of the Queensland opposition's proposal and will not confirm that the federal government will contribute $250 million to the project, as announced by Mr Nicholls, has the state Leader of the Opposition misled the voters of Queensland or is this just another example of the Queensland LNP being, to quote Senator Brandis, 'very, very mediocre'?
Nigel Scullion NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
2:45 pm
I don't think anybody in this place appreciates being verballed in that way. I was very clear in my answer that I will provide those details on notice, so I don't appreciate somebody verballing me by indicating my answer was quite to the contrary and that I'd indicated something quite different to that. I will take the answers to his questions on notice. As I said, I don't really appreciate some sort of implication from a question that I haven't been able to provide the answer to.