Media Releases
Thursday, 14th April 2016
Orwellian Propaganda Campaign Must Stop
The Turnbull Government has rejected a Labor bid for information about why it is wasting $18 million on propaganda to hide its serious failures on infrastructure delivery.
Despite the fact that infrastructure investment has fallen by 20 percent since the Coalition took office, Malcolm Turnbull is now cutting investment even further to fund advertisements designed to pretend otherwise.
Cutting money from ongoing projects to buy air time to advertise your dedication to infrastructure investment is Orwellian.
Taxpayers have a right to know exactly which ongoing infrastructure projects are being cut to fund this con job.
But the Government has rejected my application for information under Freedom of Information legislation, citing the weak excuse that the matter was discussed by Cabinet.
Forget the spin. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported earlier this year that public infrastructure investment declined by 20 per cent between the September quarters of 2013 and 2015.
The decline is attributable to the Government’s 2013 decision to shift money allocated to shovel ready urban public transport projects into new toll roads which were not shovel ready and which had not been the subject of proper cost-benefit analysis.
Of the Government’s three big ticket toll road proposals, Melbourne’s discredited East-West Link has collapsed, the Perth Freight Link has been halted by the courts and the budget for Sydney’s Westconnex project has blown out from $10 billion to $16.8 billion.
The Government’s propaganda campaign must cease now.
Australia needs a government prepared to invest in better roads, rail and other infrastructure, not in deceitful propaganda.
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Electorate Office
334a Marrickville Rd
Marrickville NSW 2204
Phone: 02 9564 3588
Parliament House Office
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Phone: 02 6277 7700
Electorate Office
334a Marrickville Rd
Marrickville NSW 2204
Phone: 02 9564 3588
Parliament House Office
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Phone: 02 6277 7700
Phone: (02) 9564 3588
Fax: (02) 9564 1734
Email: A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our offices stand and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We also recognise the resilience, strength and pride of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Authorised by Anthony Albanese. 334a Marrickville Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204.