Liberal Member for Paterson, Bob Baldwin, has again been telling porkies about Labor’s record on infrastructure spending in the Hunter.

During a discussion on ABC radio about local infrastructure needs, Mr Baldwin claimed:

No real money has come on under the last three years under the Labor Government, not only in my seat, but also in seats like the Hunter and Newcastle surrounding me.

ABC Mid North Coast, 30 July 2010

“Either Mr Baldwin doesn’t know what has been happening in his own community or he was deliberately attempting to mislead listeners because that statement is simply untrue,” said Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese.

“Over the last three years, this Federal Labor Government has made an unprecedented investment in the Hunter Region’s social and economic infrastructure – much of which Mr Baldwin voted against.”

During the height of last year’s Global Financial Crisis, Mr Baldwin joined with his Liberal and National party colleagues to oppose Federal Labor’s recession-busting, job-creating Economic Stimulus Plan which included funding to:

• Build the new $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway.


• Accelerate construction of the Bulahdelah Bypass.


• Undertake the most extensive upgrade of the Hunter Valley rail network in generations ($580 million) – already mostly completed.


• Improve safety at five dangerous black spots including the intersection between Richardson Road and Benjamin Lee Drive in Raymond Terrace, and between South and Bent streets in Tuncurry.


• Install boom gates and other safety measures at the level crossings on Mirari Road in Kilbride and Tereel Road in Wards River.


• Build and refurbish local community facilities such as the new Senior Citizens and Community Centre in Raymond Terrace.

“If Mr Baldwin had had his way, none of these infrastructure projects would have gone ahead,” said Anthony Albanese.

“Worse still, Australia would have joined every other major advanced economy in deep recession, some 200,000 Australians would have lost their jobs and thousands of small businesses would have closed their doors.

“So instead of telling porkies about the Gillard Labor Government, Mr Baldwin should be explaining to his local community why he tried to deny them the infrastructure built and refurbished with the stimulus money he voted against.”