2019-04-03
The Morrison’s government’s infrastructure spending demonstrates a complete lack of vision and pre-election porkbarrelling to save the skin of incumbent Coalition MPs, say the Australian Greens.
“The centrepiece of the Government’s high-speed or “fast” rail policy, the perennial election sweetener that never materialises when one of the major parties forms government, is to fund another five feasibility studies, taking the total number to eight,” said Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens transport and infrastructure spokesperson.
“Only 15% of grant funding is going to rail projects, with the bulk going to roads. As our big cities grow and congestion becomes worse, we need to be focusing on pubic and active transport projects, not more roads that leave people stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, clog our cities and increase carbon pollution.”
“The government wants to spend $500 million building carparks around train stations in a marginal seat porkbarrel cash splash, with no analysis of whether this money would be better spent in other ways, such as providing faster and more frequent bus services to stations.”
“This government has no vision to come up with the transport solutions we so desperately need.”