WA roads and rail miss out in Federal Government infrastructure splurge
14 May 2009
The RAC says Western Australians are being forced to wait for new road and rail infrastructure projects while rivers of money flow into the eastern states.
The Federal Government’s own media releases indicate east coast states will receive increases of up to 80 per cent in funding for rail and road projects in 2009/10 compared to last year’s figures.
Western Australia will receive a meagre five per cent increase, or just $19million in additional funds for 2009/10.
RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said it looked like Western Australia was being left to fend for itself as the global economic downturn began to bite.
“It’s difficult to understand why projects in the eastern states are getting funding priority over Western Australia,” Mr Brown said.
“Western Australia has pumped billions of dollars into the Australian economy throughout the resources boom.
“That money is now being used to bankroll a range of projects on the east coast.
“The economic downturn is hurting Western Australia too with thousands of jobs lost and many working families now deeply worried about the job security of their major income earner.
“Surely our State needs a short term injection of funds just as badly as any other State?
“The miserly amount of additional funding allocated to WA in the next financial year is completely out of whack with the largesse on offer to the east coast states.”
Mr Brown said the Rudd Government had splurged additional infrastructure spending on east coast states including increases in investment of 80 per cent in Queensland, 64 per cent in NSW and ACT and 53 per cent in Victoria.
“Some of our roads and other transport infrastructure are in dire need of improvement and now would be the time to fix that.
“We have two of the longest roads in Australia in our State which our pivotal economic lifelines.
“Yet while the government builds and repairs roads in other states it leaves the Great Northern and Great Eastern Highways in a state of disrepair with no investment to the betterment of the roads outside of supporting new and existing ports.”
How WA compares to other states when it comes to the increase in infrastructure spend.
State
|
Increase in
infrastructure spend |
Increase on 08/09
spend in $s |
| Queensland |
80% |
688m |
| Northern Territory |
66% |
51.4m |
| NSW & ACT |
64% |
594m |
| Victoria |
53% |
265m |
| Tasmania |
50% |
51.8m |
| South Australia |
37% |
101.6m |
| Western Australia |
5% |
19m |
***All figures taken from Ministerial media releases for each State to be found at www.infrastructure.gov.au/department/statements/2009_2010/media/index.aspxThree projects that could have been funded if WA was Queensland.
- Great Northern Highway: Completion of the works between Muchea to Wubin: Allocated funding in previous years but cost blow outs have meant that much of this dangerous road has not been fixed (approximate cost $120m).
- Great Eastern Highway: Additional passing lanes and upgrades are required between Mundaring and Southern Cross to accommodate the increase in freight traffic and potential traffic conflict (approximate cost $100m).
- Reid Highway: Grade separation of the Mirrabooka intersection to accompany grade separation work on the Alexander Drive intersection (approximate cost $70m).
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