North East Link

We've got lots of land that's been rezoned for development in areas like our Northern Growth Corridor that have got developers that are ready to go, ready to build, and you've got a state government that hasn't even spent the money to invest in connecting the water or the electricity or sewage or public transport.

And so that's where I think it's about priorities because if they can find billions of dollars for big construction projects like the North East Link or the suburban rail loop, they can find the money to invest in those growth areas.

So for us as liberals and from my perspective, about doing it all we can build more high density in appropriate locations such as around the capital city and we've committed to expand the capital city zone so that we can build more of that density particularly for younger people where it's walking distance from the cbd But at the same time, we can invest the money in our growth areas to continue to build new housing and ensure that people in those areas have the same opportunity of the quality infrastructure that people in other parts of the state have at the moment.

So it's

I want to bring hope back to this state.

And while we have corruption running rife on government funded projects, the epicentre of which has been the North East Link, my concerns about that translating onto the suburban rail loop, We need to ensure that we leave no stone unturned, that we go after every single cent.

We have been driving this Royal Commission for years now and only at five minutes to midnight when Ben Carroll got nervous about losing his own seat has he done the politically expedient thing and actually called a Royal Commission.

The Royal Commission is one part and it will uncover how this happened and ensure it never happens again.

Billions and billions of extra dollars over budget.

Surely at some stage they looked at this and said, OK, why are these projects? Why is the North East Link? Why is the Cross City Rail Tunnel? Why is the West Coast Tunnel? Why are they all costing so much extra money? And we now know the allegations.

It's because, essentially, the unions were siphoning money off, primarily the CFMEU, and allegedly giving it to organised crime.

And bikies were embedded in the whole process.

So is it any surprise that we've got the problems we've got now?

Do you think it's because the government looked at shiny things that buy an election, whether it be things like the Commonwealth Games and the big rural spend there, which ended up not happening, the Westgate Tunnel, the suburban rail loop, the North East Link, I mean, all projects, I suppose, that are great to have, but something that's, you know, in inverted commas, road maintenance, it doesn't win votes, does it?

I think that's probably the Labor Party's approach, that you don't get to cut the ribbon on a reseal of a road because it's pretty mundane.

But that's what state governments should be doing, Jackie.