Speech on Federal Infrastructure Funding Cuts
Published 08 February 2024
To give members some context, this is a very disappointing before and after story. Before, we had a State Government that built stuff and got stuff done, including over 35,000 projects and $200 billion worth of infrastructure in less than a decade up to 2022. Under the Liberal-Nationals Government there were cranes across the skyline. It was an exciting time. There was huge private investment in our economy and two triple-A credit ratings. New South Wales was a place where we had a future and a vision. Now, in the after, we have a Labor Government under which nothing is getting done. Worse than that, things are getting cancelled. The shovels have been packed away in the back shed, the hard hats are gathering dust, and New South Wales is going backwards.
Last November the Albanese Government axed funding totalling $3.6 billion for 17 vital road projects in New South Wales. These projects would have made a very real difference to people's lives. As a result of Albanese's cuts and the Minns Government's failure to stand up for us, New South Wales will face increased congestion and dangerous roads. Paul Keating once said, "Never get between a Premier and a bucket of money." When the Premier's mate Albo rips $3.6 billion out of our State, what does the Premier do? He does nothing. This is a Premier who says all of the right things when the cameras are rolling but then does nothing. At the time he said, "I'm very concerned." He is very concerned. That is good. Them's fighting words! But that does not get stuff done. We need to know what is being done to get back on track. This is a Premier who will not stand up to his Labor mates in Canberra.
Let us be clear, more than half of the total cuts nationwide have come at the expense of our State, the biggest State. It is an outrage. New South Wales contributes more than its fair share to the nation and yet the Albanese Labor Government has disproportionately cut infrastructure funding to our State. But this is what Labor governments do. They cut infrastructure; they do not build. They cut our future. These cuts will see infrastructure projects pushed back for years. Under the Coalition Government, regional road projects were typically funded 80 per cent by the Commonwealth and city projects about 50‑50.
Let us remind ourselves of the projects that are going to be cancelled under Labor: Blaxland Road and Balaclava Road intersection improvements; Bruxner Highway upgrades between Wollongbar and Goonellabah; the commuter car park upgrade, T1 North Shore, Northern and Western Line - Kingswood; the commuter car park upgrade, T1 North Shore, Northern and Western Line - St Marys; the commuter car park upgrade at Woy Woy; the Great Western Highway upgrade, Katoomba to Lithgow, construction of east and west sections; Gwydir Highway improvements; the M7‑M12 interchange; Mulgoa Road stage two; the Northern NSW Inland Port at Narrabri; Oxley Highway stage two, the Remembrance Driveway corridor upgrade – Camden Council; Southern Connector Road, Jindabyne; the Sydney to Newcastle Tuggerah‑Wyong faster rail upgrade; the Toowoomba to Seymour, Moree Intermodal Overpass; the Werrington Arterial stage two; and the Western City Road Transport Network Development project. I need to catch my breath. We are all trying to catch our breath after hearing that long list of projects cut by Labor federally and seemingly endorsed by Labor NSW—which is concerned, but what is it doing? Western Sydney commuters are rightly disappointed that the Premier has not stood up for the Mulgoa Road stage two and M7‑M12 interchange projects. Those cuts will mean more congestion, less productivity and more pain for businesses in Western Sydney. The Labor Mayor of Penrith said:
To see the extent of the projects that have been cut from Western Sydney, and namely the Penrith Local Government Area (LGA) is quite a shock.
Premier Minns and his Government have turned their backs on Western Sydney. A question mark still hangs over these projects. Will this Government fund them itself? Under this Labor Government, we have zero action and zero vision. The former Coalition Government was looking to the future, with a $120 billion infrastructure pipeline and $77.6 billion for transport and infrastructure projects—the biggest infrastructure pipeline ever seen in this State. We delivered the Sydney Metro North West. We were delivering the Sydney Metro City and Southwest in 2024, the Sydney Metro West in 2030, and the Sydney light rail and Parramatta light rail in 2024.
Eight motorways, NorthConnex and WestConnex were all delivered or in delivery under the former Government. We committed over $825 million to fixing pinch points across Sydney's road network. We built and were building the roads that our communities needed and that they rely on—even more so now with the housing that needs to build out in Western Sydney. We had a vision for our State. The Minns Labor Government does not seem to care about these very real issues affecting communities right across this State. Labor does not care about the cost of living, cutting the Back to School vouchers and Active Kids vouchers.
What has the Minns Government done to make life easier for the people of New South Wales? The Premier can say the right words when the cameras are rolling, but where is the action? What is he doing about this situation? We heard about it in November and there has been radio silence ever since. Labor promises infrastructure but does not deliver it. Just after coming to government last year, the Premier cancelled the Beaches Link, two metro lines, the Blue Mountains tunnel and many more road projects. It is in Labor's DNA to cut infrastructure and spending. We have legitimate questions that need to be aired here today, so I look forward to the House considering this motion.
