Mr McCORMACK (Riverina—Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Leader of The Nationals) (15:04): I just wish the member for Bendigo were perhaps a little more positive about the inland rail. This is going to be a transformational nation-building 1,700-kilometre corridor of commerce. It is going to get product, for the first time, from paddock to port within 24 hours. This is absolutely critical for rural and regional Australia. She and all the other rural and regional members on the Labor side, of whom there are not many, should get on board. In fact, every single member of the parliament should get on board. Members on our side are certainly in favour of inland rail, which will reduce rail freight costs by up to $94 per tonne. The business case for inland rail was originally predicated on a saving of $10 per tonne. The CSIRO report indicated that there potentially could be savings of up to $94 a tonne on post-processed food. But wait for this: there could be average savings of $76 per tonne—so a $76-per-tonne saving as opposed to a $10-per-tonne saving in the original business case. In my electorate, where the Parkes to Narromine section is rapidly underway, I can vouch for how many jobs have been created just in that particular area. Yes, I understand that there are concerns. I appreciate that there are people for whom inland rail will have an impact. That is why the Australian Rail Track Corporation is conducting community consultative committees. That is why I met this morning with the mayor of Goondiwindi on his concerns. There are people who are concerned about inland rail. But we don't live in a banana republic. I appreciate that those opposite do. They build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything! If you can remember that, you can use it! Inland rail is going to provide faster, safer and more reliable freight efficiencies. It is even going to have savings for the environment: 750,000 tonnes less carbon and a third less fuel than on the road. This is improving our rail network. This is nation-building infrastructure. You only have to look at some of the statistics: 480,000 cubic metres of ready-mix concrete. I have to say that on 15 January last year, when the first shipment of steel was dropped off at Peak Hill, the ARTC and the proponents of the inland rail, including Ken Keith, the mayor of Parkes, were absolutely delighted, absolutely thrilled, that the steel was from Whyalla steelworks, Liberty Steel—South Australian steel. That means Australian jobs. Many of those jobs are held by union members, so I would have thought that those opposite would have gotten on board with it. These are Australian workers and Australian jobs, and it is for Australia's future.