Page 5085 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Stanhope! Stop the clock, thank you.
Mr Hanson: He has sat down anyway, but the point of order is on relevance.
MR SPEAKER: He sat down because I asked him to sit down.
Mr Hanson: The point of order is on relevance. His discussion on John Howard and the energy of the opposition, although it is quite remarkable, is not a relevant factor in the discussion of the question that Ms Le Couteur asked.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, it would be good to come to Ms Le Couteur’s question now.
MR STANHOPE: The context is important because the issue, as with all infrastructure—the nature of the infrastructure and the extent of the infrastructure—almost invariably is as a result of resourcing. In the context of the question, background context around resources and available moneys is entirely pertinent. The answer to the question is quite simply that it was a question of prioritising the resources that were available for the upgrade of this road, a very significant linkage between New South Wales and the ACT, most particularly between Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra and the ACT.
It has to be said that, if it were not for the Labor Party, in this instance most particularly the Labor Party federally after 10 years of a Liberal federal government refusing point blank to be part of the resolution of this particular issue—at the end of the day the Rudd Labor government have come up with $7½ million, matched by $8 million from New South Wales and $3½ million from the ACT. That is a reflection of some of the complexities in cross-border road linkages. This particular road linkage is complicated by the fact that the majority of the people who use it are residents of New South Wales. They do not contribute to ACT rates or to our budget. The majority of the users—the majority of the people using this road—are residents of New South Wales.
The road is nationally significant. It is a $19 million upgrade. It is complicated by the fact that it does require a new bridge across Jerrabomberra Creek and a new bridge across the railway line. That is some of the complexity around the resources. For a road that is not particularly long, $19 million does seem a lot. The $19 million is required because of the need to build two roads.
It is pleasing that, as a result of this partnership—three Labor governments working together—there will now be two lanes each way all the way from Hume to Queanbeyan; two new bridges; and an on-road cycleway provision. It is a significant upgrade and a significant road. In an ideal world, Ms Le Couteur, we would like a dedicated busway on every major road in the whole of the ACT, but pigs might fly too.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Le Couteur, a supplementary question?
MS LE COUTEUR: Yes, thank you, Mr Speaker. I might point out that I actually asked about a transit lane, not a bus lane. But, anyway, how will the upgraded Lanyon Drive contribute to the ACT’s sustainable transport plan?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video