William Scott
The Federal Government has announced that it is prioritising investment in critical road safety work as well as upgrades to freight networks that support national productivity.
Over the forward estimates in the 2024-25 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), the government is investing an additional $2.7 billion on priority road and rail projects.
This includes additional investment to accelerate works on the Bruce Highway in Queensland, the North South Corridor in South Australia and the Carpentaria Highway in the Northern Territory.
The Federal Government is also boosting and indexing road maintenance funding on the National Land Transport Network – which was frozen by the Coalition Government in 2014-15 – and to ensure the delivery of 53 projects already underway. This is critical funding that helps ensure major roads get the attention they deserve from fixing pot holes to road sealing.
Investment is also targeting essential public transport projects that will get more people off the roads and provide more affordable commuter options.
The Federal Government says it remains committed to a sustainable ten-year, over $120 billion infrastructure investment pipeline, and this additional investment is about ensuring the priority projects continue to roll out to the benefit of all Australians.
