24th May 2023, 9:38 AM – Representatives Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Independent Review) Bill 2023 - Report from Federation Chamber - Criticism of Government

The majority voted in favour of disagreeing with an amendment introduced by Gippsland MP Darren Chester (Nationals), which means it failed. The amendment was to the usual second reading motion, which is "that the bill be read a second time" - parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill.

Amendment text

That all words after "That" be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

"whilst not declining to give the bill a second reading, the House:

(1) notes this Government's record of cancellations, cuts and delays to infrastructure projects across Australia;

(2) criticises the Government's failure to adhere to processes of assessing infrastructure investment projects they set themselves before the 2022 election by agreeing to invest $2.2 billion in the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop and $2.5 billion in the Brisbane Arena without first obtaining advice from Infrastructure Australia; and

(3) notes the nation-building and economy strengthening $120 billion 10-year pipeline of infrastructure investments inherited by the Government upon its election in May 2022".