❓ WA Minister for Planning and Infrastructure expresses concerns about the Commonwealth's AusLink proposal, particularly regarding funding for national highways and the potential for increased toll roads in WA.
AnsweredQoN 188Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the meeting between the state and commonwealth transport ministers in Canberra last week to discuss the Commonwealth Government’s AusLink proposal. Does the Minister have any concerns about the Commonwealth’s proposal. Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I support the general thrust of the AusLink proposal put forward by the Deputy Prime Minister. The proposal recognises the need to deal comprehensively with land transport rather than to have the artificial divide between road and rail. Obviously, it is a theme that this Government has embraced in managing transport issues. The proposal seeks to set out a national transport plan and to establish priorities for funding. Nevertheless, a number of worrying items have arisen out of the proposal. First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. I support the general thrust of the AusLink proposal put forward by the Deputy Prime Minister. The proposal recognises the need to deal comprehensively with land transport rather than to have the artificial divide between road and rail. Obviously, it is a theme that this Government has embraced in managing transport issues. The proposal seeks to set out a national transport plan and to establish priorities for funding. Nevertheless, a number of worrying items have arisen out of the proposal. First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
I thank the member for the question. I support the general thrust of the AusLink proposal put forward by the Deputy Prime Minister. The proposal recognises the need to deal comprehensively with land transport rather than to have the artificial divide between road and rail. Obviously, it is a theme that this Government has embraced in managing transport issues. The proposal seeks to set out a national transport plan and to establish priorities for funding. Nevertheless, a number of worrying items have arisen out of the proposal. First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
Ms A.J. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. I support the general thrust of the AusLink proposal put forward by the Deputy Prime Minister. The proposal recognises the need to deal comprehensively with land transport rather than to have the artificial divide between road and rail. Obviously, it is a theme that this Government has embraced in managing transport issues. The proposal seeks to set out a national transport plan and to establish priorities for funding. Nevertheless, a number of worrying items have arisen out of the proposal. First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
I thank the member for the question. I support the general thrust of the AusLink proposal put forward by the Deputy Prime Minister. The proposal recognises the need to deal comprehensively with land transport rather than to have the artificial divide between road and rail. Obviously, it is a theme that this Government has embraced in managing transport issues. The proposal seeks to set out a national transport plan and to establish priorities for funding. Nevertheless, a number of worrying items have arisen out of the proposal. First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
First, the federal minister has made it very clear that the federal Government will no longer accept full responsibility for the national highway system. This is a departure from the current intergovernmental agreement. As Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, this is a very alarming development. The second area of concern for the State Government is that it is proposed that whenever the State Government puts forward applications for funding, be it for road or rail infrastructure, the federal Government will consider the prospect of private financing for or private engagement in the proposal. As we know, the private sector will be interested in funding roads only if it can get a commercial return on it. In the case of roads, that usually means tolls. It is clear that the federal Government is moving in the direction of requiring State Governments that want assistance with road funding for major projects to consider the imposition of tolls. I sought clarification from the federal minister on whether it was his intention for tolls to become fairly standard across the board. He made it quite clear that he wants toll roads to be considered as part of the funding applications from the States, other than from vulnerable States, whichever States they might be. These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
These are very concerning developments for Western Australia. Although I acknowledge the contribution that the federal Government is making to the Roe Highway, Western Australia certainly is not getting its fair share of infrastructure dollars. Although Western Australia has 25 per cent of the national highway, we get only three per cent of the funding for roads of national importance. Of the $870 million package for rail, Western Australia gets nought. This Government is in there fighting for Western Australia. However, there are some major concerns as the federal Government steps back from supporting the national highway.
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