Billions of dollars in priority infrastructure, road and rail funding are in doubt as Labor’s October Budget looms.
The Coalition’s 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline of $120 billion in this year’s budget included an additional $17.9 billion to priority road and rail projects.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Transport and Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie has said there are grave concerns that many vital infrastructure projects that would support jobs, increase the efficiency and capacity of the National freight industry. are at risk of being axed in the Albanese Government’s Budget.
“The Coalition Government presented a Budget in March that was packed with infrastructure investment for priority infrastructure, road and rail projects that would not only strengthen the economy but get Australians home to their loved ones sooner and safer.”
The Coalition Government had invested heavily in infrastructure since 2013 which resulted in 35,000 infrastructure projects delivered and 120,000 jobs created. Another 40,000 jobs were expected to be supported over the lives of the projects planned in the March Budget.
Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan noted that the new Labor Government had already scrapped previously allocated funds from the FY22 budget and held serious concerns for his electorate in the upcoming FY23 announcement.
“We’ve already seen the Albanese Government tear away previously budgeted and allocated funds from our electorate. The $5 million Mid North Coast Veterans’ Wellbeing Network was unceremoniously stripped from our Diggers without explanation, and the critical $27.5 million investment into Southern Cross University’s Health Campus has also been blocked,” said Mr Conaghan.
“Both of these projects are critical for our communities. We are crying out for more resources to better support our health networks and education across the region, and this Government has already undone two significant milestones that the community had worked so hard to get across the line. We will be watching closely and continuing to fight for a fair-go for the regions.”
