Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. I refer to the coalition's promise to have cranes in the sky and bulldozers working on new infrastructure projects within 12 months of its election. Apart from projects that were already conceived, approved and funded by the previous Labor government, can he name one new project—

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my right and left!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

originated by the coalition that has a bulldozer on it today? Where are the bulldozers? Or was this promise just bulldust?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I give the call to the Acting Prime Minister—

Opposition members: One—just one!

Honourable members interjecting—

First and foremost, we will have silence. The member for Grayndler will go back to the dispatch box and withdraw the use of the term he used in the last part of his question as unparliamentary.

An opposition member: It's a country term, Madam Speaker—a rural term.

It is not a parliamentary term.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. And if I see any more single fingers in the air, they can leave immediately.

Mr Husic interjecting—

And I think the member for Chifley can be the first to leave, under 94(a).

Opposition members interjecting—

He's just lucky. The Acting Prime Minister has the call.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The shadow minister talks about projects that were funded by Labor. The reality is: virtually no projects were funded by Labor. When they had projects, it was easy using money that had been put aside as savings by the previous government, or it was money they had borrowed and never had any propensity to pay back.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on both sides!

Joel Fitzgibbon (Hunter, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Deputy Prime Minister just opened one—it is called the Hunter Expressway.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hunter knows that to be abuse of the standing orders. If it is done again he will leave immediately.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr Shorten interjecting—

There will be silence, and that includes the Leader of the Opposition.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What have you done?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And the Treasurer.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When it came to roads, Labor's funding either was borrowed money, which they had no capacity to repay—

Ms Owens interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Parramatta will leave.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

or it came from the mining tax—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Parramatta will leave!

An opposition member interjecting—

94(a).

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

which did not raise any money. So there were no projects funded by Labor. All that is happening now is indeed projects that have been put on the agenda by this government, funded by this government. And I am happy to identify progress on a range of projects where work is actually underway—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler has asked his question and will remain silent.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I mentioned in my earlier answer the North-South Corridor in Adelaide. Construction of—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Acting Prime Minister—

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

the South Road-Ashwin Parade intersection is underway, and there is earthmoving equipment on the site. It is our project.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know that this is Thursday and the last of the two sitting weeks, and I know that behaviour usually deteriorates seriously, but we will have no more of it today. We will have some silence and respect for the Acting Prime Minister and then, once the member has asked their question, they are not entitled to interject again.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let us move to the East West Link in Victoria—is that a Labor project? Geological testing for the eastern section was carried out in early 2014—

Mr Watts interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gellibrand is warned!

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and if you do not believe that there was any equipment on the site, perhaps you did not see the pictures of the protesters tying themselves to the equipment! They were probably mates of Labor who did not want the project to proceed! But that is another example of equipment actually being on the site. As to NorthConnex, early geological investigations have commenced, and soil sampling equipment is on the site and conducting investigations. On WestConnex, geotechnical works will commence in the next few weeks. On Narellan Road—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It goes to relevance. It was a very specific question.

Government members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those on my right will also be quiet.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It was a very specific question about a very specific promise by the coalition about bulldozers, not about early geological investigations.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. There is no point of order. The Acting Prime Minister has the call.

Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are bulldozers on the Narellan Road, if that makes you satisfied. That is another example of projects underway. Also, there is heavy equipment, as I understand it, on the South Road-Ashwin Parade intersection. Earthmoving equipment is on the site. I have mentioned five projects already for you where there is actual construction underway. Indeed, our program is on schedule, ahead of schedule, delivering jobs, and will deliver results for communities because this is a program that is $16 billion bigger than what Labor had promised. Once more it is funded. It is not imaginary money coming from a mining tax that is not collecting any revenue.