Albanese Govt Announces Record Infrastructure Spend

The Federal Labor government has announced a $9.6-billion infrastructure spend across Australia as part of its first Budget.

The record funding encompasses rail and road projects and makes good on promise by now-Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the run-up to the May election.

Albanese said that “sound and planned infrastructure investment in Australia creates jobs, builds opportunity and unlocks economic growth and productivity for our cities and our regions”.

“It’s about making journeys quicker, but also making sure people can get home to their families safely,” he said during the announcement on Sunday.

“Through our first Budget, my team is getting on with the job of delivering projects in consultation with Infrastructure Australia and all levels of government to make a real difference to the lives of Australians.”

Topping the spend for Victoria, the $3.6-billion Melbourne Intermodal Terminal Package will receive $3.1 billion in new commitments in the Budget.

Also in that state, $2.2 billion has been allocated to the Suburban Railway Loop, a 90km rail line that will link every major rail line from the Frankston Line to the Werribee Line via Melbourne Airport.

It has been criticised by the state auditor-general, who said a full business case for the project had not been provided and that the government had not “demonstrated the economic rationale for the entire project”.

In Queensland, two sections of east coast rail links have been funded with $1.6 billion for the Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast (Beerwah—Maroochydore) rail extension, and $1.1 billion for the Brisbane to the Gold Coast (Kuraby—Beenleigh) faster rail upgrade.

Similarly, in NSW, $1 billion has been put up for the Sydney to Newcastle (Tuggerah—Wyong) faster rail upgrade.

▲ A render of the Monash station, part of the Melbourne Rail Loop project.

Also in NSW, $77.5 million has been put forward for the development of a Final Business Case and early property acquisitions for an extension of the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport line from Bradfield to Glenfield via Leppington.

In the Queensland capital, $150 million has been allocated to help deliver a new metro station at Woolloongabba, home to the main stadium for the city’s Olympic Games.

Across WA, the NT and Queensland, $678 million will be spent on the Outback Way road link.

In Tasmania, $336 million has been allocated to the Tasmanian Roads Package—Northern Roads Package Stage 2, and in SA $200 million for the Marion Road—Anzac Highway to Cross Road.

The announcement also includes a $145 million spend for the Thomas Road—Dual Carriageway—South Western Highway to Tonkin Highway and interchange at Tonkin Highway in WA, $132 million for Central Australian Tourism Roads in the NT, and $46.7 million towards the Athllon Drive Duplication in the ACT.

The announcement has been met with criticism that Coalition government states, including NSW, have been “dudded’ by the announcements with that state’s infrastructure minister, Rob Stokes, and transport minister, David Elliott, saying the federal government had “short-changed” their state.

Stokes said the budget announcements included twice as much funding to Victoria and the NT as NSW, while WA Liberal senator Michaelia Cash pointed out her state was receiving less than Tasmania.