The Turnbull Government is investing a record $50 billion in Australia’s land infrastructure – to improve road and rail links, reduce travel times and support economic growth.
The Roads to Recovery funding for local roads has been increased by 83%, to $3.2 billion over the next four years and $500 million has been allocated to fix road black spots, along with $300 million for the Bridges Renewal Programme.
We are also investing in important public transport projects, including the $95 million Gold Coast Light Rail, the Sydney Metro and the Melbourne Metro to improve access, amenity and liveability.
The Coalition’s commitment to the Inland Rail will transform freight movements through Victoria, NSW and South East Queensland and stimulate growth and prosperity in these regions.
After five decades of indecision, the Government is getting on with building a second airport for Sydney at Badgerys Creek and planning for a rail link.
As well, Infrastructure Australia has delivered the first ever 15 Year National Infrastructure Plan.
NEW SOUTH WALES
WestConnex
- Linking Western Sydney to the city, airport and ports, with up to 52 traffic lights gone and 40 minutes saved. Stage 2 construction commenced ahead of schedule.
- 10,000 construction jobs.
Western Sydney Airport and Road Infrastructure
- Supporting Sydney’s second airport, by building vital road infrastructure first.
- 39,000 jobs created by 2035, increasing to 60,000 over time.
NorthConnex
- Connecting the Central Coast to Sydney, avoiding up to 40 traffic lights on the Pacific Highway and 21 on Pennant Hills Road.
- 8,700 jobs.
Pacific Highway
- Four lane divided road from near Newcastle to Queensland, with crashes reduced and travel times cut by up to 2.5 hours.
- 16,500 direct and indirect jobs.
VICTORIA
Monash Freeway
- Additional lanes will unlock productivity in Melbourne by reducing congestion along the M1 corridor.
Murray Basin Rail
- Upgrading over 1000 km of rail line to provide an alternative to road freight.
- 276 jobs.
M80
- Completes the three remaining sections of the M80 Western Ring Road and improves traffic flow along one of Victoria’s critical freight corridors.
Great Ocean Road
- Strengthening bridges and upgrading pavement, guardrails, cliff and land slip sites.
Urban Congestion and Regional Roads Packages
- A number of projects that will relieve congestion in urban areas.
- Upgrading rural and regional road infrastructure in Victoria.
Princes Highway West
- Duplication to help bring regional communities together and link key industries to markets.
QUEENSLAND
Bruce Highway
- Upgrades to improve safety, congestion and flood immunity.
- Reducing travel times for motorists and freight – including a range of safety packages and overtaking lane projects, the duplication of the Boundary Road interchange and the upgrade at Yellow Gin Creek south of Ayr.
Gateway Motorway North
- Widening from 4 to 6 lanes, improving access and better connecting the Bruce Highway, Northern Brisbane and the Port of Brisbane.
- 1,000 jobs.
Toowoomba Range Crossing
- Cutting travel times and removing traffic from Toowoomba Town Centre.
- 1,800 jobs.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Gateway WA
- Reducing congestion around the Perth Airport and surrounding areas.
- 1,320 jobs.
Northlink WA
- A new 40km highway to improve freight and save travel times through the Swan Valley.
Perth Freight Link
- Providing a direct, free-flowing connection to the Port of Fremantle.
- 2,400 jobs.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
North South Corridor and Northern Connector project
- Better connecting Adelaide’s port, airport and freight terminals.
- The construction of a new 15.5 kilometre road linking the Northern Expressway to the northern end of the South Road Superway.
- 1,330 jobs.
TASMANIA
Midland Highway Upgrade
- Upgrade between Hobart and Launceston, to improve safety and freight delivery.
- 234 jobs.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Tiger Brennan Drive
- Duplication to improve safety and congestion.
- 120 direct jobs; 30 for Indigenous Australians.
NORTHERN AUSTRALIA
Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility
- Unlocking the economic potential of the North through $5 billion in concessional loans that will deliver major economic infrastructure.
Northern Australia Roads
- Priority road projects in key strategic corridors in Northern Australia plus targeted upgrades to key roads necessary for transporting cattle and improving cattle supply chains in Northern Australia.
FIXING THE NATIONAL BROADBAND NETWORK
We have put the NBN back on track to deliver high-speed broadband to all Australian homes and businesses by 2020.
In September 2013, fewer than three percent of Australian premises could obtain a service on the NBN.
Today over two million homes and businesses can access the NBN and there are more than 900,000 active users.
By completion, every user will have broadband speeds 4 to 10 times faster than today’s average.
Our plan is the fastest and most affordable way to deliver better broadband to all Australians by 2020.
Under Labor, the NBN was the most poorly managed infrastructure project in Australia’s history.
Labor spent $6 billion in 4 years to connect just 51,000 users to the built network.
We are connecting more than 50,000 homes a month, compared to 51,000 in total under Labor.
The most recent nbn Corporate Plan estimates that reverting to Labor’s all-fibre plan would require peak funding of between $74 billion and $84 billion, and the rollout could not be completed until at least 2026 and possibly as late as 2028. The Coalition’s nbn plan requires peak funding of approximately $49 billion and will be finished by 2020.