Thank you to CEDA for the opportunity to be with you today.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet today, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong peoples.

I pay my respects to their Elders past and present, and I extend that respect to any First Nations people joining us today.

It’s a pleasure to be back with CEDA, and particularly here in Melbourne.

As a Victorian, it’s always good to have the opportunity to speak with leaders from the business community here at home.

From memory, the last time I spoke to you was in 2024 during CEDA’s Infrastructure Summit.

And since then, there has been significant progress across the infrastructure and transport portfolio that I’m pleased to share with you today.

As I am with you today we do amidst the conflict in the Middle East. 

We are seeing the hourly impact on Gulf nations and it is impacts are being felt across the globe. 

This last fortnight has been a stark reminder of how fragile our global systems are and what an interconnected world we live in. It also reminds us of the role we all play in ensuring our ability as a nation to withstand global shocks like these. 

We know that the transport industry in Australia keeps our country moving, and this has been in sharp focus since the conflict began. 

While we continue to have a secure supply of petrol, jet fuel and diesel. We also know that Australians are concerned and that a significant increase in demand has seen shortages in diesel and petrol parts of regional Australia.

This morning, I convened a second meeting of the transport industry. Including rail, road freight and logistics, maritime, aviation and fuel suppliers to ensure continued visibility across the transport sector. 

While we remain well placed to withstand pressures on global supply related to conflict in the Middle East, we are closely watching to ensure fuel continues to flow to where it is needed.

To date the Government has released up to 20 per cent of the baseline Minimum Stockholding Obligation for petrol and diesel to help get more fuel to regional Australians.

We are allowing the release of up to 762 million litres of petrol and diesel from domestic reserves.

We have directed more fuels into the Australian market by temporarily amending Australia’s fuel quality standards to allow higher sulfur levels for 60 days.

Additionally, we are allowing for 100 million litres a month of new petrol supply and secured a commitment from Ampol Australia to prioritise redirected supply to regions of shortage and the wholesale spot market. 

In terms of the ACCC we have tasked them with ramping up fuel price monitoring and investigating anti-competitive conduct across petrol markets. 

We will continue to engage directly with farmers, fuel suppliers and more and I know you will all continue to play your part. 

In my broader portfolio responsibilities, Australia’s infrastructure pipeline remains strong.

According to Infrastructure Australia, the nation’s major public infrastructure pipeline is now valued at around $242 billion over the five-year outlook to 2028-29.

That represents a 14 per cent increase on the previous outlook.

This growth reflects two key priorities of the Albanese Government.

First, building the infrastructure needed to support more housing.

And second, supporting Australia’s transition to net zero.

Both require enabling infrastructure. Whether that’s the transport connections that allow new communities to grow. Or the energy and freight networks that will support new industries and new jobs.

Transport infrastructure remains the largest component of the pipeline, representing more than half of projected investment.

And that’s because efficient transport networks remain fundamental to Australia’s productivity.

They connect people to jobs. They connect regions to cities. And they connect Australian businesses to domestic and global markets.

Here in Victoria, the forward indicators remain positive. And that’s welcome news.

Because for many years this state was dealt what could fairly be described as a dud deal from Canberra on infrastructure funding. That is no longer the case.

The Australian Government is working in partnership with the Victorian Government to deliver projects that will support the state’s future growth.

This includes $5 billion in Australian Government funding for the Melbourne Airport Rail connection and an additional $2 billion to transform Sunshine Station into a major transport hub.

In February, I announced the start of works to upgrade Sunshine. These works will upgrade the station so it can accommodate more passengers, on more platforms, so they can travel on an increased number of trains to more locations. 

It will allow passengers from across Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong to easily transfer onto trains to Melbourne’s airport in one simple interchange. 

But importantly, this investment will also untangle Melbourne’s rail network around Sunshine. 

Work is also advancing on Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop East. SRL East will be a transformative project for the people of Melbourne. This is not just a transport project, but something that will change how people live, work and move around the city.

We’ve made a $2.2 billion investment in early works for the project and these works are now firmly underway.

We have been working collaboratively with Victoria on the additional information identified through Infrastructure Australia’s assessment of the project to facilitate further investment from the Commonwealth.

Through the upcoming Budget we will have more to say about contributing further to SRL East to ensure that Victoria continues to get their fair share of infrastructure investment.

Beyond that, the Australian Government is investing $3.3 billion into new road and rail projects across Victoria to support economic growth, improve connectivity and tackle congestion on suburban roads.

These are practical investments that will make the transport network more reliable, more accessible and more resilient.

They are projects that support growing communities. Projects that improve freight efficiency. And projects that make it easier for people to live and work where they choose.

This is what genuine nation-building infrastructure looks like. 

Infrastructure resilience in an uncertain world

But it’s also important to recognise the broader environment in which these decisions are being made.

As I mentioned before we are living in a period of increasing global uncertainty.

The world has experienced a series of shocks over the past few years that have reminded us just how interconnected and fragile global supply chains can be.

Most recently the conflict in the Middle East has highlighted how geopolitical instability can disrupt international trade routes and transport networks.

This has affected shipping routes and aviation operations across the region.

Airlines have had to adjust flight paths and avoid certain airspace.

And businesses across the world have once again been reminded how vulnerable global supply chains can be.

For a country like Australia, which relies heavily on trade and long-distance transport links, these global disruptions matter.

They affect the cost of goods. They affect the reliability of supply chains. And they ultimately affect the productivity of our economy.

While we cannot control events on the other side of the world, we can ensure that our own infrastructure systems are strong, efficient and resilient.

Resilience in our transport network is not simply about building more infrastructure.

It is about building smarter infrastructure.

Infrastructure that supports reliable supply chains. Infrastructure that integrates road, rail, ports and airports. Infrastructure that allows freight to move efficiently across the country. Because when international disruptions occur, the productivity of our domestic network becomes even more important.

If freight can move quickly and reliably from ports to warehouses, if regional producers can connect efficiently to export markets, if workers can travel easily between homes and jobs, then our economy is better placed to absorb global shocks.

Productivity in the transport system is productivity for the entire economy.

And that’s why the Government’s infrastructure agenda is focused not only on investment, but also on better planning and coordination.

Better coordination between levels of government. Better use of data and technology. And better integration between different modes of transport.

These are the kinds of reforms that help ensure infrastructure delivers its full economic value. 

Of course, transport infrastructure is not only about freight and economic productivity.

It is also about the experience of Australians as they travel.

That’s why the Government has also been focused on improving protections for passengers in the aviation sector.

Since the release of the Aviation White Paper, we have been working to implement reforms designed to strengthen the aviation system and improve the passenger experience.

Because quite simply, when things go wrong for travellers, the experience too often falls short of what Australians should expect. 

Flight delays. Cancellations. Lost baggage. Poor communication.

Many Australians have experienced these frustrations firsthand.

The Aviation White Paper confirmed that service levels in many cases have not yet returned to where they were before the pandemic.And passengers are understandably frustrated.

For too long, aviation consumer protections have relied heavily on airlines regulating themselves through voluntary industry arrangements.

It is increasingly clear that this approach is not meeting passenger expectations.

That is why the Government is moving forward with stronger aviation consumer protections.

These reforms will ensure passengers receive clearer information, fair treatment and timely support when disruptions occur.

For example, ensuring passengers receive clear communication during delays.

Ensuring travellers understand what assistance they are entitled to.

And ensuring appropriate support is provided when disruptions occur within airline control.

The goal is to strike the right balance.

Providing meaningful protections for passengers while maintaining a competitive and sustainable aviation sector.

Legislation is being finalised and is due to be introduced shortly. 

We also continue the work to improve the experience of people with disabilities too. 

Australia’s infrastructure networks have always played a central role in connecting our communities and supporting our economy.

But in an increasingly uncertain world, their importance is only growing.

The roads, rail corridors, ports and airports that connect our country must also be resilient to global disruptions.

Whether that disruption comes from economic shocks, technological changes or geopolitical instability.

Our infrastructure must be ready. Ready to support a growing population. Ready to support new industries. And ready to keep Australians and Australian businesses connected to the world. Because at the end of the day, infrastructure is about people.

It is about ensuring Australia remains productive, competitive and resilient in the years ahead.

And that is exactly what this Government is committed to delivering.

Working with states and territories. Working with industry. And working with organisations like CEDA.

To ensure Australia’s transport and infrastructure systems remain strong for generations to come.

Thank you.