The federal government has released its long-awaited road funding package, worth $1.6 billion over four years.
Prime Minister John Howard says every dollar of the funding is over and above existing budget allocations for local roads, roads of national importance and national highways.
He says $1.2 billion will be distributed directly to local government under the Roads to Recovery programme for local road construction and repair (see table
here).
A further $400 million over four years from the 2001-2002 year will be allocated to roads of national importance and national highways to develop key arterial link roads in outer metropolitan areas.
Details of these projects will be released next year.
"This major investment in our roads is possible because our budget position is better than anticipated," Howard says.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services, John Anderson, says $850 million of the Roads to Recovery programme will be spent in rural and regional Australia, in recognition of the greatest need.
"There is no doubt that local road funding is a critical issue, especially in rural and regional Australia where much of the local road network was built in the 1950s and 1960s," Anderson says.
He says local government authorities will be required to maintain their existing spending on roads.
A special funding bill should pass through Parliament before Christmas.
Labor Shadow Transport Minister Martin Ferguson says he welcomes the package as a "belated first step (but it still) falls short".
"While those communities lucky enough to receive funds will obviously benefit, the package falls short of the long-term infrastructure plan that regional Australia has been crying out for," Ferguson says.
"Where is the vision for rail, public transport and other transport modes?
"Labor will be looking closely at the details of the package to make sure it is fair."