Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong, and relates to consistency in funding allocations. I refer the minister to the comments made by the Prime Minister in his budget-in-reply speech last year that all projects must really 'stack up' against the Infrastructure Australia model. When the Tasmanian government requested support for an infrastructure project in Hobart—namely, an AFL stadium—Mr Albanese said that he wouldn't consider funding until he had received a business plan. Minister, if Tasmania can't get funded for a project without providing a business plan, why does the budget allocate $2.2 billion for a Labor pet project in Victoria that also doesn't have a business plan and which the Victorian Auditor-General identifies as failing to demonstrate an economic rationale?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Colbeck for the question. I am pleased to get a question about Tasmanian infrastructure. The senator might be aware that the Prime Minister, with the Premier of Tasmania and former Senator Guy Barnett, in fact announced Marinus Link just this last week.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam President, I rise on a point of order on relevance. My question is about a Victorian infrastructure project that doesn't have a business plan and, quite frankly, doesn't stack up.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Colbeck, your question, which I took note of, was quite broad ranging and had quite a long preamble. You started off talking about consistency in funding. I will listen closely to Minister Wong and direct her if necessary. But I believe she started off being relevant.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I would make the point to the senator, who seems to be implying in this question some issue with funding Tasmanian infrastructure, that there are quite a deal of infrastructure commitments that Tasmania is receiving under this government. Of course, Marinus Link, which has been something that Tasmania has been seeking for years, is being delivered through a partnership between the Albanese Labor government and the Liberal government in Tasmania—something that Senator Colbeck, in government, could never deliver. I would also make the point that the budget has included in it $540 million to upgrade the Tasman Highway, the Bass Highway and the east and west Tamar highways in addition to other investments.

In relation to the Suburban Rail Loop, we've been here for some days and we've had an attempt by those—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Wong, please sit down. Senator Hume, Senator Henderson and Senator Watt, we have a senator of their feet. Order! Senator Colbeck on a point of order?

Senator Henderson, I've called you to order twice. You have a senator on your own side on his feet. Senator Colbeck.

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I raise a point of order on relevance. My question was about the government process in allocating funding, and Senator Wong has gone nowhere near my question. In fact, I wasn't even complaining about funding of a project in Tasmania. I was talking about a project funded in Victoria.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Colbeck. As I said in response to your first point of order, your question had quite a long preamble on a number of issues. I'm listening to Senator Wong, and I do believe she's being relevant to your question. Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I'm very happy for Senator Colbeck to go back to Tasmania and explain to his constituents that he's actually asking about Victorian projects, not Tasmanian projects, and that he didn't want to hear about Tasmanian projects. But that's a matter for him. I'm sure my Tasmanian Senate colleagues will have something to say about that.

As I was saying, in relation to the Suburban Rail Loop, we are honouring our election commitment to provide $2.2 billion towards early works for the Suburban Rail Loop east. The detailed business and investment case for the Suburban Rail Loop released by Victoria last year demonstrated a benefit-cost ratio of up to 1.7. That's $1.70 for every dollar invested. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Colbeck, your first supplementary question?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My supplementary question to Senator Wong is: when the New South Wales government said it wanted support to raise the height of the Warragamba Dam to protect communities from floods, a project that is recognised as state-significant infrastructure, Mr Albanese said he would talk to New South Wales after their state election next March. Why do the people of New South Wales have to wait for flood mitigation support until after the state election in five months when the Victorian Labor Party can get $2.2 billion just one month before a state election?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I might just finish, if I may, because I was asked about Infrastructure Australia. Suburban Rail Loop will still be subject to assessment by Infrastructure Australia, under the National Land Transport Act. I'm advised that the project will also be subject to a rigorous assessment process between the Commonwealth and Victoria, and we will respect these processes like any responsible government.

In relation to Warragamba Dam, I am advised that the government is open to discussing the dam-raising project with the New South Wales government in more detail. There is no current proposal before the federal government with respect to co-funding the dam. But I will say this: we are not going to take a lecture about integrity in infrastructure from those opposite, who used taxpayers' funds as if they were their own election slush fund.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The 'minister for colour coded spreadsheets' over there can shout all she likes, but everybody knows what happened on your watch. (Time expired)

Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, Madam President, the minister was directly referencing my colleague here on this side of the chamber instead of addressing her response through the chair and should withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. I will remind Senator Wong to refer to all senators by their correct titles. Senator Colbeck, your second supplementary question?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why are the people of Tasmania and New South Wales being punished by hypocritical and partisan decision-making by the Albanese government which clearly favours their Victorian Labor mates, as demonstrated by Mr Albanese throwing $2.2 billion of federal money at a Victorian project the Victorian Auditor-General describes as failing to demonstrate an economic rationale?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have responded to the Suburban Rail Loop project questions. I have also responded to the Warragamba Dam questions. I'm now asked about partisan decision-making. Can we remember the $15 million commitment for a car park at Balaclava station, despite the fact that the land was already set aside for public housing? Can we remember the $115,000 per space for a project in the Melbourne suburb of Berwick, which the Auditor-General found was nearly three times the benchmark price? Can we remember 11 projects worth $175 million with no assessment work?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Keep asking us about partisan infrastructure funding because we are not going to forget what you did.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Wong.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order on direct relevance. Clear rulings from previous presidents have stated that a—

Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Trade) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What about the Brockman interregnum?

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Including the last President! Previous presidents of both persuasions have ruled that, whilst passing glances at the opposition are acceptable, an answer, which is now more than halfway through, that has contained nothing but attacks on the opposition is irrelevant.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Brockman. Order! Senators! Seriously, all of you, on my left and my right. It took me a very long time to get the attention of Senator Wong, to ask her to sit down, because there was so much disorder in this chamber that it wasn't possible.

Thank you, Senator McGrath. You are the biggest offender, and I would ask you to be quiet and respectful. Senator Colbeck's second supplementary question was very broad and went to a hypocritical question about why something was favoured over another. It was not specific, and I believe that Senator Wong is being directly relevant.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. I'm afraid I did not hear you, and had I heard you I would have responded more quickly, but I did see Senator Brockman and sit down. I have responded on the specific projects in question, but I would remind those opposite that their record when it comes to partisanship and poor process in infrastructure is well there for all Australians to see. (Time expired)