Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down his fourth Federal Budget earlier this week, laying the groundwork for a federal election campaign that could be called within days.
While taxpayers, first home buyers and job switchers came out on top, there was a distinct lack of public transport or bus and coach industry mention.
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The lack of bus industry mention in the budget comes after 12 months of issues arising across the country regarding a lack of funding and support for bus services, manufacturers and operators.
Metro Tasmania has been in the spotlight lately amid privatisation possibilities, with state shadow transport minister Meg Brown saying the operator has been “critically under-funded and under supported”.
In Victoria, bus manufacturers on Christmas Eve received notice that there would be a pause on all bus orders in the state, with orders “deferred” for up to five years.
Road infrastructure was the biggest winner on the night, with $17.1 billion in total being allocated to major construction projects over the next decade. Drivers in Queensland secured a big win with $7.2 billion of that going towards upgrades on the Bruce Highway.
It will also cover the costs of upgrades to highways and major roads in nearly every state and territory, including Sunshine Station in Victoria, Terrigal Drive in NSW, the $500m upgrade to Fifteenth Avenue in Sydney, Kwinana Freeway in WA, the duplication of the Sturt Highway in the NT and Tasmania’s Arthur Highway.
The rail industry however managed to swing some federal dollars, the Budget allocating $2 billion to upgrade Sunshine Station to support the delivery of the first rail link to Melbourne Airport and $1 billion to preserve rail corridors to the new Western Sydney International Airport.
Alongside this, $325 million was allocated towards the Melton line upgrade, while $28 million was promised to planning for Melbourne Western and Northern Suburbs Rail upgrades. Another $125 million was allocated for the Curtis Road Level Crossing Removal.
Australasian Railway Association CEO Caroline Wilkie welcomed the funding, saying it will “provide an essential public transport link for commuters and business”.
“These funding commitments confirm what we already know – that investment in rail delivers huge economic, environmental and social benefits, as we have seen with the successful Sydney Metro,” Wilkie says.
“Investment in major rail projects future-proofs communities along the rail corridor. It supports more affordable housing, takes thousands of cars off the road and connects people to more job opportunities, health and education precincts.”