Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister representing the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Senator McCarthy. Regional roads have been deteriorating under this government, which has cut the level of Commonwealth funding for regional roads from 80 per cent down to 50 per cent following the 2023 review of the infrastructure investment pipeline. Can the minister explain why the government is threatening to cut speed limits to 70 kilometres per hour on country roads instead of just getting on with the job of fixing the roads?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I certainly don't accept the premise of the question, given that it is our government that is providing for roads across the country—especially in the Northern Territory, for example. I drove out to Wadeye on the Port Keats Road. We have invested $70 million into that road, and not once have I seen—you may wish to talk to your colleagues in the Northern Territory. There was not one area where I saw that road being completed. Our government is very much contributing the funding for roads right across Australia, but it does come down to the relationships with the leadership of each of those state and territory jurisdictions. If you take places like the Northern Territory, who need to be able to work and actually roll those roads out when we have provided the funding, I suggest to you that you talk to your colleagues up there to assist us with that. I will say this—

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

Senator McKenzie, lower your voice. Seriously.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They're just not interested in roads, President. They're just not interested.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Or the regions!

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Or the regions, for that matter. I'm a bit surprised at Senator McKenzie.

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

Senator McCarthy, I have Senator O'Sullivan on his feet.

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance: my question was about reducing the speed limits. The senator has not gone anywhere near reducing—

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

Your question had a preamble, Senator O'Sullivan, which you may wish to check, which went to regional roads. The senator is being directly relevant. If your colleagues don't intervene, perhaps I can listen more closely to the answer.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Reviewing speed limits on high-risk regional and remote roads has been on the road safety agenda since at least 2018, when the National Party held this portfolio. In fact, the first priority action under the National Road Safety Action Plan 2018–2020, agreed to by the member of Riverina, was to review speed limits on high-risk regional and remote roads in consultation with the community. The consultation currently underway on reducing default speed limits is being undertaken by the minister's department to inform a regulatory impact analysis. It does not constitute government policy, but it is a usual process we undertake on various issues.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, first supplementary?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do have a supplementary question. The government has cut critical programs to regional roads, including abolishing the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative and the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. With dozens of projects axed and regional road funding bogged down in bureaucracy, why won't the government restore these important programs to help country roads instead of cutting default speed limits from 100 to 70 kilometres per hour?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do thank the senator for the question. It's actually not the first time he's asked it; he asked it in Senate estimates in the RRAT committee in terms of the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program. Let me repeat, as we did in our responses to these questions, that the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program was a COVID-19 stimulus measure to fund local projects that would support local economies and create jobs during the pandemic. The Albanese Labor government has continued to back this program.

See, they're not interested. We continue to back the program, but let's remember the genesis of this. While making sure councils are supported to deliver valuable outcomes for local communities, we extended construction timelines for the program in 2023 to help councils complete their projects—some important detail that you always seem to overlook.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, second supplementary?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, isn't it the case that under Labor's plan the limits will stay reduced even if the roads are later fixed?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Under Labor's plan, we've doubled funding for the Roads to Recovery Program from $500 million to $1 billion a year permanently from 2027-28. But you're not interested in the regional roads. You're not interested.

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

Senator O'Sullivan?

Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question was very tight, and I ask you to draw the minister back to the question, which is whether or not speed limits will stay reduced.

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

Senator O'Sullivan, the minister had just started her answer. I will listen carefully and, if necessary, draw her to the question. But I do need silence, particularly from your side, to enable me to do that.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would have thought they'd be interested to know how much funding was going into the regions, especially the roads. Clearly the other side want to put their foot to the pedal and go as fast as they can, but we want to make sure that we do invest in the regions, that we do invest in the roads—

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Answer the question! Please.

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

Please continue, Minister.

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for saying 'please', Senator Ruston. I haven't heard much from you this week, so it is important to hear from you now. Between 2024-25 and 2028-29, Labor is investing $4.4 billion in safer local roads through Roads to Recovery— (Time expired)

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Order across the chamber. I have received the list for the next lot of questions from the government. I am assuming it has been negotiated across the chamber. So with that in mind, and that is the only piece of information I can add, I will call Senator Faruqi.