 Freedom of Information (FOI) searches from a Channel Nine Reporter has proven the Rudd Labor Government had no intention whatsoever of honouring its unequivocal 2007 Election promise to abandon the construction of the controversial Goodna Bypass.
FOI Searches have revealed that only eight days after being voted into Government, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Government approved $200 million of taxpayers money to
pay for the preservation of the Goodna Bypass Corridor.
Speaking in Federal Parliament last night, Federal Member for Ryan, Michael Johnson MP, said ‘the commitment to abandon the Goodna Bypass was not worth the piece of paper they were written on.’
“During the lead up and in the 2007 Federal Election campaign itself, Kevin Rudd campaigned ferociously promising local residents that under Labor, the Goodna Bypass proposal would be scrapped,” Mr Johnson said.
“From the Ministerial letters and Departmental Memos released under FOI, we now have clear and incontrovertible evidence Mr Rudd and his Ryan Labor candidate were telling the people of Ryan one thing, but planning behind the scenes to dump their election promise.”
However, on the on 14th December, Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt, the then Queensland Minister for Main Roads, met and Mr Albanese offered $200 million to the Queensland Government to acquire the Goodna Bypass corridor.”
“The fact that $200 million was approved only eight days after seizing power clearly shows the Rudd Labor Government had absolutely no intention of scrapping the Goodna Bypass proposal despite black and white election promises. Mr Rudd completely deceived and misled the people of Ryan and all of Brisbane.”
“Just as the 2007 Labor Candidate for Ryan misled and deceived the people of Ryan, with the powerful FOI information, it is crystal clear the next Labor candidate for Ryan will have absolutely no credibility at all. Whoever the next Labor candidate for Ryan is, their promises and their commitments will be cheap as chips. The next Ryan Labor candidate simply cannot be trusted on the back on the Goodna Bypass campaign fraud.”
“This simply confirms yet another broken promise from Mr Rudd,” Mr Johnson declared.
For a copy of the FOI Information, please email Michael Johnson MP on: Michael.johnson.mp@aph.gov,au
A full copy of Mr Johnson’s speech in Parliament is included below;
ADJOURNMENT DEBATE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
23 FEBRUARY 2010
Mr JOHNSON (Ryan) (8.30 pm)—A little over 2½ hours ago on Channel Nine News in Brisbane, Queensland viewers were informed by reporter Alex Smith that the Rudd government had, to use his words, ‘probably lied’ to the people of the western suburbs in the Ryan electorate. The options were at best ‘misled’ or at worst ‘lied’, to quote Mr Smith. It has come to the attention of Mr Smith, to my attention and to the attention of the constituents of the western suburbs, Brisbane and all of Queensland through freedom of information searches that a little over a few days after Mr Rudd was sworn in as Australia’s 26th Prime Minister, a little over a few days after Mr Albanese was sworn in as the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and a little over a few days after the entire Rudd government took over the reins, the honour, the prestige and the privilege of being the custodians of the Australian people’s future there was a meeting held between the Queensland Minister for Transport and the new federal minister for transport that overturned the commitment not to build the Goodna Bypass. All those in the western suburbs would know of the Goodna Bypass. It was a battle royal for me as the sitting local member as I carried the flag for the Howard government and acted in what was deemed to be the interests of the western suburbs and of greater Queensland to construct four bridges across the Brisbane River, including into the Ryan electorate.
I want to outline the timetable that clearly shows the Rudd government and the Labor Party candidate for the Ryan electorate knew full well that there was every prospect of the Goodna Bypass decision being overturned. On 24 November, on election day, the Howard government was defeated and Mr Rudd took the reins of office. On 3 December 2007, Mr Rudd was sworn in as Prime Minister. On 11 December 2007, Mr Albanese wrote to Mr Pitt—this is eight days after the election. On 14 December, Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt met. Mr Albanese offered $200 million to the Queensland government to acquire the Goodna Bypass corridor. On 23 January 2008, senior Main Roads officials briefed the Queensland government and suggested a joint media statement that Mr Albanese and Mr Pitt should issue together, that they hold hands and say, ‘We regret the commitment at the election but now we must have a Goodna Bypass.’ On 30 January 2008, Mr Pitt wrote to Mr Albanese again.
The hollow words of the Labor candidate’s campaign commitment ring loud and clear. The hollow words of Mr Rudd, as the opposition leader and as the man who sought to have the trust of the Australian people to become Prime Minister, ring true. This government’s history of broken promises and of commitments unmet can now clearly be said to be part of its DNA. I have letters and documents galore here from the freedom of information search that was carried out—not by me, not by the opposition, not by an extreme Liberal or an extreme National but by a media commentator, Mr Smith from Channel Nine. Tonight he told the people of Bellbowrie, of Moggill, of Pullenvale, of Chapel Hill and of Kenmore Hills that the commitment to abandon the Goodna Bypass was not worth the words on the piece of paper they were written on.
I say very loud and very clear to the people of Ryan that quite clearly the government of Mr Rudd really has lied. I make that grave statement with a heavy heart—
Mr Byrne—Mr Speaker, on a point of order: if you are accusing a member of parliament of lying I think it is unparliamentary and I ask you to ask him to withdraw it.
The SPEAKER—The member for Ryan will withdraw.
Mr JOHNSON—I rephrase my words and say that the commitment—
The SPEAKER—The member has to withdraw.
Mr JOHNSON—I will not withdraw. I decline to withdraw.
The SPEAKER—The member for Ryan really places himself in an invidious position, but on this occasion his time has expired.
END
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