Fed: States signed up to biggest federal road & rail investment

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2009
Fed: States signed up to biggest federal road & rail investment

CANBERRA, April 26 AAP - The states and the territories have signed up to the largest
federal roads and rail investment in Australia's history, which will see $26.4 billion
of funds for projects including upgrades of the Pacific and Bruce highways.

The agreement, which was foreshadowed at the February meeting of the Council of Australian
Governments, includes federal funding for 120 road and 26 rail projects over six years.

The key projects include the Pacific Highway, NSW, ($2.5 billion), the Bruce Highway,
Queensland, ($2.2 billion) and Western Ring Road, Victoria ($900 million).

"We are spending more on rail in 18 months than the previous government spent in 12
years," Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese told the Nine Network on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Mr Albanese said he would enjoy announcing $2 million of federal funding
for a $7.3 million sporting pavilion to be built in Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull's
own electorate.

The funding will be made available for the Waverley Park pavilion under the government's
$800 million community infrastructure program.

Mr Turnbull is attending the announcement.

"The hypocrisy of Malcolm turning up to Waverley Park for this announcement - $2 million
from the commonwealth contributing to a $7.3 million project in his electorate that he
voted against," Mr Albanese said.

"That is I think something that stands for itself."

AAP mj/jm

KEYWORD: INFRASTRUCTURE (WITH FACTBOX)

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