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  4. 30 May 2007

Business of the House

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About this Item
SpeakersStoner Mr Andrew; Speaker; Aquilina Mr John
BusinessBusiness of the House, Division

      BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Page: 496

      Reordering of General Business

      Mr ANDREW STONER (Oxley—Leader of The Nationals) [3.09 p.m.]: I move:
      That the General Business Notice of Motion (General Notice) given by me this day [Bells Line Expressway] have precedence on Thursday 31 May 2007.
      Debate on my motion should clearly be given precedence tomorrow. The Nationals have long championed the modern safe route over the Blue Mountains as proposed by the Bells Line Expressway Group—a proposal that has very wide support except, it seems, with the State Labor Government. The members for Orange, Upper Hunter and Burrinjuck, and the former member for Lachlan, have been strong champions of this visionary proposal. Even the member for Bathurst, who has been strangely silent of late, has been represented on the Bells Line Expressway Group. We will give him a chance to speak about this matter because it should be given priority for debate tomorrow.

      Numerous studies have shown that investment in infrastructure will be returned to the State via economic, social and environmental benefits. Sadly, for 12 years, this Labor Government has underinvested in infrastructure in New South Wales, particularly in country New South Wales. An investment in the Bells Line Expressway proposal would see numerous benefits to New South Wales, including many lives saved. It is a fact that the Bells Line of Road and the Great Western Highway are among the most dangerous roads in the State on a per kilometre basis—too many accidents, too many people killed. It is time for a modern, safe route. The economic benefits that would flow from the more efficient movement of freight are too numerous to count. Currently there is no B-double route over the Blue Mountains, from the Central West food bowl—an area of mining and primary produce—to export markets via Port Botany and Sydney international airport. It is the missing link in the State's transport infrastructure. This road would connect with the proposed inland rail link via Parkes and make great improvements to transport logistics in this State.
      Other benefits include tourism. More tourists would make the drive over the range if there were a fast and safe route. Currently it takes far too long, so tourists are discouraged from moving into country New South Wales because of this lack of investment in infrastructure. Other benefits are decentralisation and regional development. We would see a boom in industry and jobs in the Central West. We saw it on the Central Coast and in the Hunter when the F3 was constructed. The same would happen with the investment in this road.
      Then there is the amenity for the many communities in the Blue Mountains that currently suffer from heavy transport, too much through traffic and unsafe roads. Finally, there are environmental benefits associated with a more efficient B-double freight route. There will be fewer trucks, so there will be less greenhouse gas. There are many benefits to the State. During the election campaign The Nationals were criticised, particularly by the member for Bathurst. He said the Federal Government would not fund it. The Federal Government has coughed up $10 million, and what is he saying? Here is an opportunity for him to put his money where his mouth is. The State Government could match the Federal Government with $10 million to progress this proposal.
      Mr Gerard Martin: Point of order: The member is misleading the House. We are talking about a $3 million project. John Howard giving $10 million, which is quarantined until 2009, goes nowhere.
      The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order.

      Mr ANDREW STONER: That was a typically puerile point of order from the member for Bathurst—Bundy Bear. Here we have the gross hypocrisy from this Government—$25 million to defer the tunnel funnel measures associated with the Lane Cove Tunnel, but what about $10 million to progress a vital freight route into the Central West? Government members are grossly hypocritical. Here is their chance to vote for something for the bush.
      Mr JOHN AQUILINA (Riverstone—Leader of the House) [3.14 p.m.]: Isn't it curious that in the lead-up to a Federal election the Leader of The Nationals has suddenly turned his attention to Federal matters. Suddenly he is John Howard's friend?he is praising John Howard?all for $10 million. The Leader of The Nationals is cheaply bought. We already have several motions on the notice paper. Notices were given only last week. Several Opposition members have notices of motion on the paper, as do several Government members. For example, the member for Penrith has given notice of a motion in relation to a $60 million office building in her electorate—hundreds of jobs for Western Sydney. The member for Parramatta has a motion about a record investment of $617 million to expand essential services for children who cannot live at home. I would have thought that debate on these matters would have priority tomorrow. They are issues we need to debate.
      The Leader of The Nationals wants to take them off the agenda because he wants to look good in the eyes of John Howard in the lead-up to the Federal election. If the Leader of The Nationals wants to put forward the proposition that there is some urgency about this matter because the Howard Government has come forward with $10 million, the member for Bathurst put that into context when he took his point of order. The $10 million announced by the Prime Minister for a study is not available until 2009. What is the great urgency to debate tomorrow an issue that does not become available until 2009? I would have thought that what the community of the Central West would want from the Prime Minister was a commitment to funds to build a road now, not a furphy about some study in 2009.
      Were the Leader of The Nationals going to move a motion urging the Prime Minister to make funds available immediately for the construction of roads in the Central West we might have second thoughts about the order of priority, because we might see that as a matter of urgency. No doubt you too, Mr Speaker, might see that as a matter of urgency. However, we do not see the need to change the established priority of debate for a study that might be concluded finally by 2014, with the prospect of possibly building a road some time in 2020. We oppose the motion.
      Question—That the motion be agreed to—put.
      The House divided.
      Ayes, 39
      Mr Aplin
      Mr Baird
      Mr Baumann
      Ms Berejiklian
      Mr Cansdell
      Mr Constance
      Mr Debnam
      Mr Draper
      Mrs Fardell
      Mr Fraser
      Ms Goward
      Mrs Hancock
      Mr Hartcher
      Mr Hazzard      		Ms Hodgkinson
      Mrs Hopwood
      Mr Humphries
      Mr Kerr
      Mr Merton
      Ms Moore
      Mr Oakeshott
      Mr O'Dea
      Mr O'Farrell
      Mr Page
      Mr Piccoli
      Mr Provest
      Mr Richardson
      Mr Roberts      		Mrs Skinner
      Mr Smith
      Mr Souris
      Mr Stokes
      Mr Stoner
      Mr J. H. Turner
      Mr R. W. Turner
      Mr J. D. Williams
      Mr R. C. Williams


      Tellers,
      Mr George
      Mr Maguire
Noes, 51
Mr Amery
Ms Andrews
Mr Aquilina
Ms Beamer
Mr Borger
Mr Brown
Ms Burney
Ms Burton
Mr Campbell
Mr Collier
Mr Coombs
Mr Corrigan
Mr Costa
Mr Daley
Ms D'Amore
Ms Firth
Ms Gadiel
Mr Gibson		Mr Greene
Mr Harris
Ms Hay
Mr Hickey
Ms Hornery
Ms Judge
Ms Keneally
Mr Khoshaba
Mr Koperberg
Mr Lynch
Mr McBride
Dr McDonald
Ms McKay
Mr McLeay
Ms McMahon
Ms Meagher
Ms Megarrity
Mr Morris		Mrs Paluzzano
Mr Pearce
Mrs Perry
Mr Rees
Mr Sartor
Mr Shearan
Mr Stewart
Ms Tebbutt
Mr Terenzini
Mr Tripodi
Mr Watkins
Mr West
Mr Whan


Tellers,
Mr Ashton
Mr Martin


Question resolved in the negative.

Motion negatived.

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