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Pacific Highway Upgrade

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About this Item
Subjects -  Parliament: New South Wales; Road Safety; Roads: Pacific Highway; Public Works; Accidents
Speakers - Tripodi Mr Joseph; Acting-Speaker (Ms Marianne Saliba); Oakeshott Mr Robert; Brown Mr Matt; Hazzard Mr Brad
Business - Matter of Public Importance
Commentary - Removal of Andrew Fraser;, Joe Tripodi assault


    PACIFIC HIGHWAY UPGRADE
Page: 18780


    Matter of Public Importance

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI (Fairfield—Minister for Roads) [8.34 p.m.]: I am delighted to debate the important issue of the Pacific Highway, a highway that the New South Wales Government has continually acknowledged is a vital road link for the people of our State. It is disturbing, but not surprising, to note that the Opposition has continually misconstrued the facts about the Government's funding of Pacific Highway roadworks. Then again, as attack is the best form of defence, the Opposition has been trying that, and of course has been failing. Members of the Opposition attack the State Government regarding the Pacific Highway because they are desperate to divert attention from the Federal Government's lack of commitment to the highway's upgrading.

    The facts are very simple. Members of the New South Wales Opposition are ashamed of their Federal counterparts, who have failed to adequately fund Pacific Highway improvements. The honourable member for Coffs Harbour has had to do the walk of shame, front up to his community and try to justify or explain why the Federal Government has completely and utterly abandoned the people of Coffs Harbour. The honourable member for Coffs Harbour is living a silent shame. The Federal Government has been selling short the Pacific Highway for years. From 1996 through to June 2006 the New South Wales Government's investment will total $1.66 billion, whereas the Federal Government will have put in only $660 million.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: Is it a State road?

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: As I have only 10 minutes remaining for my speech, which is insufficient time to educate the honourable member for Coffs Harbour about roads, I point out that all roads in New South Wales are State roads, but the issue is who looks after them. That is the first part of the honourable member for Coffs Harbour's education for today. The New South Wales Government has put in $1.66 billion, which should be compared to the Federal Government's measly $660 million over the past decade. I will present a little history lesson for members of the Opposition. In January 1996 the Pacific Highway reconstruction program agreement was signed between the New South Wales Government and the Federal Government. Under the 10-year agreement, the New South Wales Government committed $160 million per year to upgrading the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border. The Federal Government's commitment was only a measly $60 million a year. The State Government contributed $160 million and only $60 million was contributed by the Federal Government.

    Under that agreement, the New South Wales Government contributed 72 per cent of the funding for upgrading the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border. In other words, almost three-quarters of the money that has been spent on the Pacific Highway has come from the New South Wales taxpayers and the New South Wales Government. The good news is that our efforts are paying dividends. Since 1996 a total of 44 projects have opened to traffic, with motorists now benefiting from 229 kilometres of four-lane dual carriageway. A further eight projects are under construction or have been approved and are awaiting the commencement of construction. A further 20 upgrading projects are in the planning phase. By the end of this financial year, approximately 44 per cent of the highway from Hexham to the Queensland border, a distance of 677kilometres, either will be completed dual carriageway or will be roadways under construction. That has been achieved because of State Government leadership when it comes to the Pacific Highway.

    Since the commencement of the program, the average crash rate on upgraded sections of the highway almost has been halved. The crash rate has decreased from 30 crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled to 15 crashes per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled. That is a great result in the context of road safety and has been achieved because of the State Government's leadership in upgrading the Pacific Highway. Obviously one death is one death too many, but lives have been saved and that is something that we are all very glad about. The State Government has led all the way on road safety by investing heavily in improving the Pacific Highway. The New South Wales Government is implementing a $35 million, two-year program to introduce interim road safety measures at specific crash locations on sections of the highway that have not yet been reconstructed under the upgrading program. These measures include the use of speed cameras, profile line marking, wire rope barriers, shoulder widening and intersection improvements. For the information of members of the Opposition, some of the improvements have been undertaken at Bonville.

    Mr Thomas George: Have you been there?

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: Yes, I have. When I visited Bonville, the local parliamentary representative was somewhere in Sydney. He was unable to be found in his own electorate. I was well received by the Mayor of Coffs Harbour and the Mayor of Bellingen.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: Point of order: Sit down, clown! The Minister has made an attack on me, which was totally untrue. If he wishes to attack me, it should be by way of substantive motion.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: There is. If he wishes to attack me, I suggest you tell him to do it by way of substantive motion.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: Look, mate, the people who live in Sydney think that Coffs Harbour is the place to go for holidays, not for the local member.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: You are a bloody liar!

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: For the people who live in Sydney, Coffs Harbour is a place to go on holidays.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Coffs Harbour will resume his seat.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: Would you like a bloody drink of water, mate? I tell you, I should ask you about the 13 deaths.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I place the honourable member for Coffs Harbour on three calls to order.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: I should have asked you about the 13 deaths. You tell us about the 13 deaths, you bloody clown! Get in here! Come in here and tell us about the 13 deaths.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I place the honourable member for Coffs Harbour on three calls to order. I ask the Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms to remove him from the Chamber.

    Mr Andrew Fraser: Christ! Thirteen bloody deaths! Thirteen deaths and you want to lie about where I was—on parliamentary business in Sydney, you clown! And you stand there and do that? I won't take that, you bloody liar! You are a bloody disgrace to this place and a disgrace to your portfolio and your electorate!

    [The honourable member for Coffs Harbour left the Chamber, accompanied by the Deputy Serjeant-at-Arms.]

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! Honourable members will resume their seats.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: I was received by the Mayor of Bellingen, Mark Troy, and the Mayor of Coffs Harbour, Keith Rhoades. At that point we were able to implement a plan that would have had been a temporary measure to assist in road safety in Bonville while the Bonville deviation proceeded. I am concerned that the Federal Government's lack of commitment to the New South Wales road system, including the Pacific Highway, will continue even under the new AusLink agreement. I reluctantly signed that agreement on 29 September, just hours before the Federal Government's deadline. If I had not signed it by midnight the following day, we would have lost our road funding to other States—clearly an untenable position.

    Under AusLink, the Federal Government has short-changed the Pacific Highway by $480 million per year. Under AusLink, the Federal Government regards the Pacific Highway as part of its new national network, but it is not funding it in the same way as other highways in that network. The Pacific Highway got a worse deal than any other road in the AusLink national network. Other highways in the network will receive 80 per cent funding from the Federal Government under AusLink, yet it is contributing only 20 per cent of what is needed every year to complete the Pacific Highway dual carriageway program by 2016. That is a $480 million deficit every year, a $480 million black hole for the Pacific Highway courtesy of the Federal Government.
    The Roads and Traffic Authority estimates the total cost, after the current 10-year program ends in June 2006, of completing a high-standard, dual carriage motorway from the F3 at Hexham to the Queensland border, to be $8 billion in 2005 dollars. Even if the Federal Government continues its proposed funding for the next 10 years, its contribution of $1.6 billion would be only 20 per cent of the $8 billion required. If the Federal Government were serious about the Pacific Highway it would apply its own AusLink funding formula to the 677 kilometres that make up that road in New South Wales. This means that the Federal Government should provide $640 million a year for the Pacific Highway. How can that possibly be justified?

    It is an appalling indictment on the Federal Government that it is continuing to short-change the Pacific Highway. And what is more appalling is that when I tried to have the AusLink agreement debated in this House before it was signed, the Opposition voted against the motion. In this House we had a chance to debate this issue, to have a worthwhile contribution, but the Opposition did not want to. It did not want to know, it did not want to support the motion. Now, when the deal is done and dusted, it is making a song and dance about it. That song and dance has been repeated time and time again. That is a very poor show. The Opposition is happy to discuss this important issue, but only when it is too late. That is a pretty pathetic effort. Another major concern is the Federal Government's determination to pay back ever-decreasing proportions of its fuel excise tax into this State's road system.

    Mr ROBERT OAKESHOTT (Port Macquarie) [8.44 p.m.]: I address this matter of public importance because it is, without doubt, a matter of public importance to not only the people of the Port Macquarie electorate but also to the people right along the North Coast of New South Wales. I congratulate the Minister for Roads on raising this matter of public importance. Tonight we have seen a new low in this place—it was an outrageous display. It was seen by many as simple, straight-out, schoolboy physical violence. For 1 million North Coast residents, the Pacific Highway is a key issue. To me, as the local member representing the mid North Coast, it is a sad day when this House cannot debate the issues at stake without the House dropping to that level. I hope that what we saw in the past few minutes will be referred to the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privilege and Ethics or will be dealt with in another way by this House. It should be dealt with seriously by all members in this House. What I saw was an absolute disgrace. I hope the House can return to the substantive issues of the Pacific Highway

    Mr Thomas George: Point of order: I take exception to what the honourable member for Port Macquarie is saying about what happened in this House. What we saw was a person driven to frustration by 13 deaths and by incorrect comments by the Minister for Roads.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr ROBERT OAKESHOTT: All of us in this place deal with many serious issues at many times. Regardless of political persuasion, there is a good reason why this table at which I am standing is two sword lengths wide. We fight with words, and with words alone. But what we saw earlier was a disgrace. I return to matters concerning the Pacific Highway. All of the 1 million residents on the North Coast are completely frustrated. This matter has been going on since the Clybucca and Kempsey bus crashes, when the Coroner, Kevin Waller, made the outstanding recommendation that the Pacific Highway should be dual carriageway from Hexham to the Queensland border—and that was more than 15 years ago. Since then, we have seen various political parties, both State and Federal, making various commitments to fulfil the recommendation of Coroner Kevin Waller.

    Unfortunately, after 15 years, we are not even half way towards a dual carriageway. A media release in 1993 by the then Deputy Premier, Wal Murray, referred to two options: first, a Pacific Highway upgrade to dual carriageway from Hexham to Tweed Heads, using normal State road funds and, second, a Motorway Pacific option that involved a completely tolled dual carriageway. I will return to that later, as I have raised it for a specific reason. In the past decade, there have been more than 500 deaths, more than 10,000 crashes—which equates to about 2.5 crashes each day—and one fatality a week. All of the 1 million residents on the North Coast are completely frustrated by the lack of fulfilment of the recommendation by Coroner Kevin Waller of more than 15 years ago.

    This all came to a head about a month ago when the AusLink agreement was signed. I am pleased that an extra $1 billion has been committed to the continuation of the upgrade works from 2006 to 2009. At the end of the first agreement—the Pacific Highway upgrade agreement of 1995 to 2005—40 per cent of the highway will be dual carriageway. As a result of the upgrade works between 2006 and 2009, 60 per cent of the highway will be dual carriageway. That is a positive outcome.

    However, about 40 per cent of the Pacific Highway is still not dual carriageway. I draw as an analogy someone who buys a block of land and tries to build a house. That person would not fund half the cost of building that house and then try to work out how to fund the last 40 or 50 per cent. Exactly the same thing applies to this major Pacific Highway infrastructure project. State and Federal governments have flagged it as the biggest infrastructure project since the Snowy hydro scheme. Governments have not got it right. They have built only half the house and they have not worked out how to fund the last 40 per cent. A challenge is now starting to emerge from the words that have been spoken by several members on the North Coast. Residents on the North Coast want to know the Government's plans for that last 40 per cent of dual carriageway.

    A month ago the Deputy Prime Minister, my Federal member, said he was working on a plan to complete dual carriageway along the length of the Pacific Highway. So the final 40 per cent would be completed by 2016. The honourable member for Myall Lakes also said there would be complete dual carriageway by 2016. If $5 billion in funding is to be committed over a seven-year period—from 2009 to 2016—to complete that final 40 per cent of work, it leaves us with one of only two options, that is, more broken promises. There have been broken promises from all levels of government and all political parties in relation to the 1995 to 2005 Pacific Highway upgrade agreement. In 1995 Paul Keating and John Fahey shook each other's hand and said, "By 2005 we will have 100 per cent dual carriageway from Hexham to the Queensland border."

    It is now 2005 and only 50 per cent of that work has been done. Are we seeing yet another broken promise in relation to that last 40 per cent of the Pacific Highway, or does the Government plan to create a tollway over that stretch of highway? Residents on the mid North Coast and North Coast want some answers to those questions. It is arrogant for all those involved in politics not to be servants of their electorates and not to provide full details about their plans for the future. At the moment all we have is a head-patting exercise with Government members stating, "It will be all right. We have a plan that will be resolved by 2016." Residents are restless and they want more. They want to know how that highway is to be funded and within what time frame. They want to know whether there will be a toll on that highway. We are sick to death of piecemeal promises from all levels of government, State and Federal, and continued fatalities on the Pacific Highway are frustrating us all.

    Rather than having crazed members of Parliament running all over the place, I hope we are given some commitments from The Nationals, the Labor Party, the State Government and the Federal Government. We want to know what backroom negotiations have taken place in relation to that last 40 per cent of Pacific Highway that supposedly will see its completion to dual carriageway by 2016. The Deputy Prime Minister has spoken publicly about these issues in my local area. It is about time residents were made aware of all the details. The Pacific Highway is not only for B-doubles and for heavy and interstate transport; it is a local road for many residents on the mid North Coast. People deserve to know the Government's plans. Tonight I call on both levels of government to reveal the deal. What negotiations will take place behind closed doors post-2009 in relation to the completion of the Pacific Highway dual carriageway? I would be extremely sceptical and cynical if that exercise were funded through the expenditure of taxpayers' dollars. Is this just another broken promise by major political parties, or will we see a toll motorway such as the one introduced in 1993 by Wal Murray?

    Mr MATT BROWN (Kiama) [8.54 p.m.]: I am pleased to contribute to the debate on this matter of public importance after the contribution of the honourable member for Port Macquarie. After tonight's performance I can see why he left The Nationals. I am pleased that the honourable member for Tweed, Mr Neville Newell, is in the Chamber tonight. In February 1996, as a Federal Labor member of Parliament, he and other members of Federal and State parliaments—Laurie Brereton, Harry Woods and Michael Knight as roads Minister—were instrumental in striking up agreements and making commitments to improve road safety and travel times for people on the North Coast along the Pacific Highway. I know the hard work the honourable member for Tweed put into making roads safer for many motorists. Tonight I am pleased to acknowledge his contribution.

    I call on the Federal Government to use some of its $13.6 billion surplus for major roads in New South Wales such as the Pacific Highway. Federal Treasury recently revealed that in the last financial year the Federal Government's budget surplus was $4.4 billion higher than expected. That extra $4.4 billion could be used to upgrade the Pacific Highway. I remind the House that the Federal Government sets aside just 12 per cent of its petrol excise tax revenue for major roads under AusLink rather than the traditional 21 per cent. The Federal Government should use this opportunity to restore the share of the Federal petrol excise tax spent on major roads to traditional levels. All we have heard from the State Opposition is silence in relation to Pacific Highway funding. It should publicly demand that its Federal counterparts top up funding for the Pacific Highway with some of this $4.4 billion budget surplus windfall.

    In recent weeks we have all seen the project on which the Federal Government has started wasting that surplus. We have seen $100 million newspaper and television advertisements that refer to the Federal Government's new work changes—an expensive exercise. Our Prime Minister, John Howard, could spend that $100 million making the Pacific Highway safer instead of wasting taxpayers' money on propaganda designed to make his extreme industrial relations changes acceptable to Australians. The $100 million that Mr Howard is spending on his industrial relations propaganda would go a long way towards saving the lives of Australians on the Pacific Highway. When we look at how much the Federal Government is putting into the Pacific Highway under the current tenure agreement, we see where its priorities lie. Over the 10-year agreement the Federal Government will have contributed, on average, just $60 million a year compared to the State Government's $160 million a year. The $100 million that the Howard Government is spending on its industrial relations propaganda campaign is more than it has spent, on average, in a whole year over the 10-year Pacific Highway agreement. That is $100 million that could go towards improving road safety.

    By the end of the current financial year approximately 44 per cent of the highway from Hexham to the Queensland border—I am talking about 677 kilometres—will be either completed or under construction. By the end of the recently signed AusLink agreement we are looking at about another 10 per cent of the highway being completed. That leaves nearly half the Pacific Highway still in need of upgrading to dual carriageway standard. So $4.4 billion would go a long way towards making that 100 per cent upgrade a reality much sooner. It would result in more than 200 kilometres of the highway being upgraded to dual carriageway standard between Hexham and the Queensland border. I am sure the honourable member for Coffs Harbour would not say no to $600 million of that $4.4 billion Federal Government surplus being spent on relieving traffic congestion and improving safety on 37 kilometres of the Pacific Highway around Coffs Harbour as part of the Sapphire to Woolgoolga upgrade and Coffs Harbour bypass.

    The honourable member for Coffs Harbour could perhaps join his colleague the Leader of The Nationals in asking for $500 million to provide bypasses for Maxwell, Urunga and Nambucca Heads that would see the steel bridge at Maxwell replaced, improving safety and traffic congestion. I am sure that the Leader of The Nationals would like a better debate on this issue than has occurred so far in the Chamber tonight. I call on honourable members representing the electorates of Clarence and Ballina to ask their Federal colleagues to do the right thing by the people who live along the Pacific Highway.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Madam Acting-Speaker—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I call the honourable member for Wakehurst. The resolution of the House states clearly that the debate has been extended to allow the honourable member for Wakehurst and the honourable member for Manly to speak.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Have you replaced the Opposition speaker in this debate with an Independent speaker?

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I give the call to the member who attracts my attention, and the honourable member for Port Macquarie attracted my attention.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Point of order: An Opposition member always responds in debate on a matter of public importance submitted by the Government. Madam Acting-Speaker, you gave the call to an Independent member. I sought the call at the same time as the honourable member for Port Macquarie. Whether you want a fair debate on this issue will depend on your ruling on this point of order. The shadow Minister for Roads should have the opportunity to respond to a matter of public importance submitted by the Minister for Roads.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order. The standing orders refer clearly to "the member next speaking". That member was the member who attracted my attention, the honourable member for Port Macquarie.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Point of order: Let the record show that the Labor Government has chosen to gag the Opposition in debate on this matter of public importance.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: The Opposition has a lot to say about the Pacific Highway—and it always has.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: You are seeking to gag the Opposition by giving the call to an Independent member—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: That is part of a Labor Party-Independent strategy for the mid North Coast.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The Leader of The Nationals will resume his seat. There is no point of order. I call the honourable member for Wakehurst.

    Mr Donald Page: Point of order: Unless I am mistaken, my recollection is that the motion specified those members who would speak in this debate. It was quite specific in that regard. My point of order is that the honourable member for Port Macquarie—and I would say the same of anyone in a similar position—spoke in contradiction of the motion.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Donald Page: The members named to speak in the motion—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Donald Page: —were the honourable member for Manly and the honourable member for Wakehurst.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Ballina will resume his seat. There is no point of order.

    Mr Donald Page: You cannot have it both ways.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The only two members who were named were the additional members.

    Mr Donald Page: If you are going to take the call from a member you must be equal in the way you look at it or abide by the terms of the motion.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Ballina will resume his seat. There is no point of order. I call the honourable member for Wakehurst.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Point of order: This afternoon the Leader of the House indicated that this matter of public importance would be debated by the honourable member for Coffs Harbour, the honourable member for Wakehurst and the honourable member for Manly. You gave the call to the honourable member for Port Macquarie and thus denied the Opposition the chance to debate this matter properly.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order. The resolution states clearly that two additional members be permitted to speak on the matter of public importance—that is, the honourable member for Wakehurst and the honourable member for Manly. I call the honourable member for Wakehurst.

    Mr BRAD HAZZARD (Wakehurst) [9.03 p.m.]: The passion with which the various members have taken points of order is a reflection of the great concern that the Liberal Party and The Nationals have about the poor state of the Pacific Highway and the State Labor Government's ineffective approach to upgrading a highway that is all too often a highway of death and destruction. The Pacific Highway is the main road route between Sydney and Brisbane. After 10 years of State Labor Government, it is a death trap. The Leader of The Nationals wished to exercise his right to speak in this debate. I support that right but I note, Madam Acting-Speaker, that you indicated that he will be prevented from doing so. The Nationals—as the Leader of The Nationals demonstrated—and the Liberal Party are passionate about trying to get the Pacific Highway fixed.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! If members want to have a conversation they should do so outside the Chamber. The honourable member for Wakehurst has the call.

    Mr BRAD HAZZARD: The Pacific Highway has been the scene of far too many tragedies and many broken promises by the State Labor Government. Premier Carr made promise after promise. The new Premier appears to be seeking to validate those promises but is in fact delivering empty rhetoric. Let us consider the history of the Pacific Highway. In the past 10 years 10,182 accidents have been recorded on the Pacific Highway. That is an average of 2.79 crashes per day or more than 1,018 per year.

    Ms Katrina Hodgkinson: How can the Government live with itself?

    Mr BRAD HAZZARD: As the honourable member for Burrinjuck says, how can this Labor Government live with itself and accept the status quo? How can it do nothing but lay blame at the feet of the Federal Government? Earlier tonight the Minister for Roads launched into a political diatribe and did what this Government always does: blame the Federal Government for everything. The reality is that this Government has made big promises in every electorate north of Sydney to the Queensland border—and most of those promises have been broken. It does not matter that the former Premier promised a second crossing over the mighty Clarence River. Yesterday and earlier today the honourable member for Clarence reminded us of that promise. On 21 February 2003 the local newspaper in Grafton reported:

    New South Wales Premier, Bob Carr, yesterday guaranteed beyond doubt that a new bridge would be built over the Clarence River costing between $40 million and $70 million.

    That promise was made before the 2003 election. The people of Clarence are the victims of a breach of confidence on the part of the Government, which the honourable member for Clarence has drawn to the attention of the House. In the past few years the Government has said that the bridge project is on hold. A second crossing over the Clarence River is just part of upgrading the highway between Sydney and the Queensland border. The fact that there have been, on average, 15.8 crashes per kilometre on the Pacific Highway in 10 years is an appalling indictment on the competence of this Government. There have been 425 fatalities and 6,782 injuries in that 10-year period. The highest number of crashes in any given year was 1,086 in 1998—the middle of Labor's time in office. The New South Wales community can no longer afford to delay upgrading the Pacific Highway. Our main artery heading north must receive resources and support from this Government. We have all driven the road and we know it is a death trap. It is time for the Premier and his Government to deliver on all the promises they have made over a decade—most of which have not been honoured.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I call the Minister for Roads in reply.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: Point of order: Thank you for your careful consideration of the point of order I will make. Under the standing rules of the Parliament the Leader of the House cannot specify that a member must speak. He can direct that there be extra members, and give them the option of speaking. If that member chooses not to exercise his right, as done in this case by the honourable member for Manly, who did not appear in the Chamber, another member may seek the call. It is within your purview to grant that right. I ask that you behave fairly and reasonably to the Leader of The Nationals, who has a genuine interest in speaking on this issue.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order. The resolution of the House clearly named two additional speakers. If those speakers do not wish to avail themselves of that opportunity, I will call the Minister in reply.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: I appreciate your direction but perhaps as Acting-Speaker—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! That is my decision. The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: I am entitled to ask for your direction as to the basis for your ruling. I seek your basis.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I have ruled in accordance with the decision of this House. The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: Sorry, what was the decision of this House?

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The decision of this House was that the honourable member for Wakehurst and the honourable member for Manly have five minutes speaking time each. The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: So you are seeking to exclude the Leader of The Nationals from speaking on the Pacific Highway? And the honourable member for Bathurst is seeking to endorse that position?

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The Leader of The Nationals had the opportunity to attract my attention if he wished to speak, and he did not.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: He did.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I called the honourable member for Port Macquarie. The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat. I call the Minister for Roads in reply.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Point of order: Your previous ruling and your ruling before that are inconsistent. Earlier on a point of order I said that the House agreed to two additional speakers: the honourable member for Manly and the honourable member for Wakehurst. At that time you said it was appropriate for the honourable member for Port Macquarie to speak in relation to this issue.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: On the point of order taken by the honourable member for Wakehurst just now you said that the specific members were named and therefore you excluded me.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The Leader of The Nationals will resume his seat. Two additional speakers were named: the honourable member for Wakehurst and the honourable member for Manly. The Leader of The Nationals was not named as a speaker in this debate. I again ask the Leader of The Nationals to resume his seat. I call the Minister for Roads in reply.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Absolute inconsistency in your rulings.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I call the Leader of The Nationals to order.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI (Fairfield—Minister for Roads) [9.12 p.m.]: The problem is that The Nationals do not care about roads in northern New South Wales. The Leader of The Nationals has been on the radio up and down the coast saying he wants to debate this issue. The Nationals had a chance to participate in this debate and the Leader missed the boat once again. Remember the absolute silence from the Leader of The Nationals when the AusLink agreement was being negotiated? Not a word from The Nationals in New South Wales to negotiate a better deal for motorists in this State. The Leader of The Nationals had a chance to speak in this debate and once again he has abandoned rural New South Wales.

    Mr Thomas George: Point of order: I remind the House that last week The Nationals tabled a matter of public importance in relation to the Pacific Highway.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order. The honourable member for Lismore will resume his seat.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: I gave The Nationals a chance to participate in this debate but once again it missed the boat, just like its silence during negotiations with AusLink. I do not know why The Nationals were not here and do not care about this issue but the New South Wales Labor Government will continue to represent the people of the North Coast.

    Mr Andrew Stoner: Point of order: The Minister is misleading the House. The AusLink agreement delivers 78 per cent more road construction funding over the next five yeas, and he knows it.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! There is no point of order. The Leader of The Nationals will resume his seat.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: The Nationals have been calling for this debate for a long time and today the Government gave them this opportunity, and where were they?
    Mr Brad Hazzard: Point of order: The honourable member for Bathurst has just referred to me in a way that I object to, but the language that he just used across the Chamber—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat.

    [Interruption]

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat. I call him to order.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: You can put me on many calls to order as you like but the language he just used—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Wakehurst will direct his remarks through the Chair. He will resume his seat.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: But you should direct him to not use the foul language he just used across the Chamber.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I call the honourable member for Wakehurst to order for the second time. He will resume his seat now.

    Mr Brad Hazzard: You should tell him to stop using foul language.

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! The honourable member for Wakehurst will resume his seat. I remind members that there are certain standards of behaviour in this Chamber. I ask members to maintain them.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: It is a shame that I have lost so much time, due to the behaviour of the Opposition, in seeking to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the fact that New South Wales was short-changed under the AusLink agreement.

    Ms Katrina Hodgkinson: Point of order—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! I ask members not to take any more frivolous points of order.

    Ms Katrina Hodgkinson: I ask that you ask the Minister to apologise for his comments alleging that The Nationals—

    Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marianne Saliba): Order! That is not a point of order. The honourable member for Burrinjuck will resume her seat.

    Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: If they had been interested they would have participated in the debate. Instead they were missing from the Chamber. The Labor Government will take up this issue for The Nationals, who failed to represent its own constituency. This Government will step in and fill the breach because The Nationals have done nothing but suck up to the Federal Government. They have remained silent when their voices should have been loud. They cry when the horse has already bolted. It is a great shame. Between 1986 and 1999, 21 per cent of petrol excise tax was reinvested in New South Wales and under this agreement it has fallen to 12 per cent for the road system of Australia. That sums up the attitude of the Federal Government towards funding roads in this State. [Time expired.]

    Discussion concluded.


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