More than $16bn has been promised for road and rail infrastructure across the country over the next decade, including $4.6bn for 69 new projects.
The commitments are dominated by spending announced ahead of the budget, including $3.25bn for Victoria’s north-east link, $2bn for western Sydney projects and $1.2bn for the Sunshine Coast direct rail.
Funding for Victoria also includes $437.3m for suburban road upgrades in southeastern and northern Melbourne. Federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King last week backed the Melbourne Airport rail link as an “important project” and renewed the government’s $5bn commitment to help fund its construction.
In Western Australia, the Commonwealth will provide an additional $1.4bn to existing METRONET projects and $300m for a new high-capacity signalling program.
The government highlighted how every state and territory would receive extra funding for new and existing infrastructure projects over the next four years, with an additional $9.5bn being provided over the forward estimates.
The funding for Western Sydney, which now totals $17.3bn, includes $1.9bn for priority road and rail projects such as Mamre Road, Elizabeth Drive, and Richmond Rd from the M7 Motorway to Townson Rd.
The government has pledged $100m for “zero emission rapid bus infrastructure to connect Penrith, Liverpool and Campbelltown to the Western Sydney International Airport and Aerotropolis at Bradfield.
Western Sydney International Airport, scheduled to get its first travellers and freight in 2026, will receive a further $302.6m over five years.
It will be used for border agencies to progress design, fit out and commissioning of facilities, provide federal policing and establish a detector dog unit.
Southeast Queensland will receive $2.2bn for transport projects designed to accommodate an increased population and unlock future housing development.
As well as the funding for the Direct Sunshine Coast Rail, the government has committed $226.7m for the Beerburrum to Nambour Rail Upgrade, ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
An extra $431.7m will be provided for the Coomera Connector Stage 1 project, and an extra $467.2m is being committed for the Bruce Highway Corridor. The government will spend $2.6bn in road and rail projects in regional Australia, including $541.7m for upgrades to critical roads in Northern Australia and an additional $290.1m for the Gippsland Rail Line Upgrade in Victoria.
Following the completion of additional planning, $720m will be released for the construction of the Inland Freight Route in Queensland, providing an alternative to the Bruce Highway.
The government will also invest $540m to improve the reliability of the Australian Rail Track Corporation’s interstate freight rail network, including $150m to upgrade the Maroona to Portland Line in Victoria.
The Australian Newspaper
