In the 2022-23 Federal Budget, the Australian Government is delivering on $660 million of election commitments for vital infrastructure projects in South Australia.
This includes $60 million to construct on and off ramps for the Southern Expressway at Majors Road which will reduce traffic on Brighton Road.
It also includes $200 million to reduce congestion in Adelaide’s south and improve road safety by removing the Marion Road Level Crossing and upgrading Marion Road between Cross Road and Anzac Highway.
These major investments will remove a major blockage for locals’ daily commute, improve safety for motorists and pedestrians, and create business opportunities across the region with improved transport flows and better amenity.
The Budget investment will also include a share of a new $1.5 billion Freight Highway Upgrade Program.
This investment will deliver priority upgrades to the interstate Tanami Road and other nationally significant freight routes, including the Dukes, Stuart and Augusta highways in SA.
We are working closely with the South Australian Government on the investments that deliver the best value for taxpayers’ dollars and the best outcomes, including creating jobs and boosting skills, for the people of South Australia.
A BETTER WAY
The Albanese Government wants infrastructure that leaves a lasting legacy. Our first budget will honour the pledges we made to voters in urban and regional Australia while also managing the economy in an uncertain global environment.
The budget takes an important first step in ensuring the Commonwealth’s infrastructure spending is responsible, affordable and sustainable.
It also starts making up for nearly a decade of waste and missed opportunities.
The former Government made promises without ever thinking about how to deliver them, often not even talking to the state and territory government they would later rely on to partner with.
They promised car parks that could never be built, and also tripled the budget for Inland Rail and blew out the timetable.
They sidelined, ignored and then stacked the Infrastructure Australia Board with political appointments.
And for years they pretended money was in the budget for zombie projects such as the East-West link in Melbourne and the Perth Freight Link.
We are putting sense back into infrastructure planning and delivery.
We are once again making Infrastructure Australia the premier body to advise Australian governments on our significant infrastructure gaps and opportunities.
And we are cleaning up the Coalition’s mess in the Inland Rail project, and bringing transparency and accountability back into this critical macroeconomic portfolio.
INFRASTRUCTURE IN AN UNCERTAIN GLOBAL ECONOMIC CLIMATE
Infrastructure is an important driver of economic growth, productivity and skills in the regions and cities, but the Government was left with an unsustainable pipeline of projects designed purely to look good on paper but never be built.
Our first budget takes an important step to make our infrastructure pipeline more sustainable and to ensure we don’t further strain a sector already facing labour constraints, inflationary pressures and cost increases due to supply chain challenges.
The decisions we have made will ensure the sector is in a strong position to help buffer any global headwinds, and create a sustainable pathway for building the skills needed into the future.
They will also contribute to repairing the budget after the Coalition left Australia with a trillion dollars of debt.
Infrastructure is critical to building the nation we all want. Opportunity and connection come from good infrastructure. Making good decisions now is critical to making sure no one is held back and no one is left behind.
Comments attributed to Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese:
“Sound and planned infrastructure investment creates South Australian jobs, builds opportunity and unlocks economic growth and productivity for Adelaide and the regions.
“It’s about making journeys quicker, but also making sure South Australians can get home to their families safely.
“Through our first Budget, my team is getting on with the job of delivering projects in consultation with Infrastructure Australia and all levels of Government to make a real difference to the lives of Australians.”
Comments attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:
“Good roads are the lifeblood of communities across SA – and improving safety and travel time is really important for local families and the economy.
“Our Government will upgrade important road corridors across the state, getting locals home more safely and more quickly.
“These significant infrastructure projects will help future proof the region and give residents and businesses back their time – less time stuck in traffic and more time doing the things they want to do.”
