The Australian Federal Government has allocated $100 billion over the next decade for road and rail infrastructure in its pre-election budget.

Notably, the funding includes $2 billion for fast rail between Geelong and Melbourne, which will cut the 80km journey in half to just over 30 minutes. The train will travel at the fastest speeds of any train line in Australia, at an average of 160km/h.

There’s also money to fight traffic woes with a $3 billion injection for the existing $1 billion Urban Congestion Fund, which includes a $500 million Commuter Carpark Fund to improve parking around train stations.

The Government will spend $1 billion on improving freight routes and access to ports, with $100 million for regional airports.

An extra $1 billion was announced for the Coalition's "roads of strategic importance" fund, which is now worth $4.5 billion.

Road safety was another big winner, with $2.2 billion allocated for a Road Safety Package. It includes:

·       An additional $1.1 billion in funding for local governments under the Roads to Recovery program, which allows investment in road safety infrastructure in regional Australia.

·       An extra $550 million for the successful Black Spot Program, which targets known high-risk locations and reduces serious crashes by 30% on average.
 
·       A further $571.1 million to improve the safety and efficiency of heavy vehicle operations through the Bridges Renewal Program, Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program and Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiatives (HVSI).

Minister for Infrastructure Michael McCormack said a new Office of Road Safety will also be established with the funding.

“The Office of Road Safety will provide a national point for collaboration and leadership on key road safety priorities, working closely with states, territories, local government, and key road safety stakeholders,” Mr McCormack said.

However, Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) President David O’Loughlin told Government News he was disappointed the allocation for Roads to Recovery wasn’t greater.

“We’ve been calling for the Roads to Recovery funding to be doubled to $800 million instead of the 25% increase from $400 to $500 million. The latest Road Safety Inquiry called for $3 billion a year funding into road safety, instead we’ve got a modest increase to the Blackspots Program. The scale of the program is very welcome but it’s nowhere near what road safety experts are calling for,” he said.

He also expressed his disappointment in the government’s failure to restore Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) funding to 1%, and the lack of commitments for waste and coastal adaptation in the face of climate change.

"The Federal Government could step in immediately and introduce a national container deposit scheme; they could step in immediately and set thresholds for goods made with recycled materials which will drive collection and sorting.  Their rhetoric is not being converted into a national policy," he said. 

Local Government NSW President Linda Scott echoed O'Loughlin's sentiments. 

“Given the significant funding levels that will be required to implement the National Waste Policy Action Plan, Federal Labor has committed to a $60 million Recycling Fund exclusively for investment in innovative waste solutions, local government recycling facilities and new approaches to tackle food waste," she said. 

“We call on the Federal Government to match Labor’s commitments to recycling and the creation of a circular economy.”