Federal Budget 2019-20

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1112874197196333056

[ozbob]

https://www.budget.gov.au

[dancingmongoose]

Probably the best budget for rail since the LNP regained power.

[verbatim9]

Budget 2019 and rapid rail

afr.com.au--------------------------->https://www.afr.com/news/economy/federal-budget-2019-fast-rail-solution-to-traffic-congestion-20190402-1o24yc

Federal budget 2019: fast rail solution to traffic congestion

APRIL 02, 2019

The Morrison government has created a National Faster Rail Agency to deliver a swag of fast-rail projects across the country as a solution to ease transport gridlock in major cities.
Not content with $2 billion for the Melbourne-to-Geelong high-speed rail project, the Coalition has established the National Faster Rail Agency to help deliver the business cases for a string of potential rail projects.
The government has allocated $40 million for detailed assessments of five fast-rail corridors from Sydney to Wollongong, Sydney to Parkes (via Bathurst and Orange), Melbourne to Albury Wodonga, Melbourne to Traralgon and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
These will complement the three business cases that are already under way, including Sydney to Newcastle, Melbourne to Greater Shepparton and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
High-speed rail has long been touted by successive federal governments but has never gone anywhere, no doubt balking at the big price tag involved.

[verbatim9]

Budget 2019 and rapid rail

afr.com.au--------------------------->https://www.afr.com/news/economy/federal-budget-2019-fast-rail-solution-to-traffic-congestion-20190402-1o24yc

Federal budget 2019: fast rail solution to traffic congestion

APRIL 02, 2019

The Morrison government has created a National Faster Rail Agency to deliver a swag of fast-rail projects across the country as a solution to ease transport gridlock in major cities.
Not content with $2 billion for the Melbourne-to-Geelong high-speed rail project, the Coalition has established the National Faster Rail Agency to help deliver the business cases for a string of potential rail projects.
The government has allocated $40 million for detailed assessments of five fast-rail corridors from Sydney to Wollongong, Sydney to Parkes (via Bathurst and Orange), Melbourne to Albury Wodonga, Melbourne to Traralgon and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
These will complement the three business cases that are already under way, including Sydney to Newcastle, Melbourne to Greater Shepparton and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.
High-speed rail has long been touted by successive federal governments but has never gone anywhere, no doubt balking at the big price tag involved.

"Makes sense" A person I know that works for a Federal agency said to me a week ago; "That the Gold Coast is likely to get fast rail in the shorter term due to its population."

The other regions will need to wait a while before fast rail is a reality.

^^I assume that it won't affect duplication of the Sunshine Coast line as this will go ahead in its current form.

Thus Brisbane to the Gold Coast is the winner. Hopefully the line will be finished and operational to OOL by 2026-27?

I like the idea of a "National Faster Rail Agency" I guess if
Labor get in it will be renamed to a "High Speed Rail Authority"  Which is the same thing. All these rail projects will need to be completed in stages then eventually joined up in the future.

[Stillwater]

Seems to National Faster Rail Agency will prepare various rail business cases to get around the silly buggers game Qld has been playing.

[Stillwater]

BUDGET LINK

https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/mccormack/releases/2019/april/budget-infra_01-2019.aspx

(Scroll down for individual project allocations by state and territory.)

Interesting that business case funding for the North-West Transport Corridor gets a mention, but part of a bigger package.

[verbatim9]

BUDGET LINK

https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/mccormack/releases/2019/april/budget-infra_01-2019.aspx

(Scroll down for individual project allocations by state and territory.)

Interesting that business case funding for the North-West Transport Corridor gets a mention, but part of a bigger package.

[ozbob]

Domain --> Federal budget 2019: Cities, regions set for $100 billion infrastructure spend on fast rail and roads

Capital city congestion is a priority in this year's federal budget, with the government banking on a $100 billion infrastructure spend over the next decade to ease voter concerns.

Spending on rail and roads are in focus, while the government also plans to establish a body for population policy.


Big-ticket items include the previously announced $2 billion for a fast train to halve travel times between Melbourne and Geelong, which would rely on the co-operation of the Victorian government.

Fast rail could be in the pipeline for other regional centres, with the federal government set to co-fund business cases with state governments for links from Sydney to Wollongong, Sydney to Parkes via Bathurst and Orange, Melbourne to Albury-Wodonga, Melbourne to Traralgon and Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

An agency to offer advice on fast rail projects, set to be established from July 1, would cost $14.5 million over the forward estimates.

Some $3 billion extra is set aside for roadworks through the Urban Congestion Fund in a bid to ease bottlenecks, taking the total amount pledged to $4 billion.

It will include $500 million for park and ride facilities at train stations known as a Commuter Car Park Fund.

"A strong economy needs ongoing investment in roads, rail, bridges, dams and ports," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said in his budget speech.

"[The Urban Congestion Fund] will focus on immediate, practical measures to cut travel times within our cities."

An extra $1 billion is allocated for the Roads of Strategic Importance project.

The measures come amid focus on Australia's growing population, with the government earlier proposing to settle newly arrived migrants in regional centres and reducing its cap on migration from 190,000 to 160,000, roughly the level at which migration had been tracking.

Australia's population grew at 1.6 per cent over the year to September, recent ABS figures show, with Victoria jumping 2.2 per cent, NSW up 1.5 per cent, Queensland up 1.7 per cent and the ACT up 1.9 per cent.

The budget proposes a Centre for Population to focus on population policy, with $23.4 million set aside from 2019-20.

City deals and regional deals are another key budget measure for the nation's cities.

In this model, urban centres around the country are offered cash for infrastructure projects under a partnership between different levels of government.

The Hobart City Deal is allocated $529.9 million over 11 years, of which $499.9 million is already announced. The bulk of this is to upgrade Australia's Antarctic research station network although funds are on offer to reduce road congestion and provide more than 100 new social housing dwellings.

For Albury-Wodonga, $3.2 million is allocated for the planning stage of a regional deal.

In Geelong, an extra $30 million from 2020-21 is pledged through the Geelong City Deal for tourism infrastructure at the Twelve Apostles and elsewhere.

Some $71 million over the forward estimates is listed for road and airport projects in the Bundaberg and Hervey Bay regions.

In the Northern Territory, $45.4 million is set aside for projects to support economic and social development in the Barkly region, of which $7.6 million is already funded. The measure is partly offset by redirecting funds from the Indigenous Advancement Strategy.

For Adelaide, $165 million has already been set aside for projects such as smart technology infrastructure in the CBD and an art gallery.

The government is working on city deals for Perth and southeast Queensland.

And $206.2 million is pledged for community infrastructure in the Building Better Regions Fund.

Elsewhere, the federal government earmarked funds for a string of road and rail projects around the country, such as:

In NSW, $6.1 billion in total including $1.6 billion for the M1 Pacific Motorway Extension
In Victoria, $2.8 billion in total including $1.1 billion for suburban Melbourne road upgrades
In Queensland, $2.6 billion in total including $800 million for the Gateway Motorway extension
In SA, $1.8 billion in total including $1.5 billion for the North-South corridor
In WA, $933 million in total including $349 million for Tonkin Highway upgrades
In Tasmania, $68 million for freight rail
In the ACT, $50 million in total including $30 million for the Kings Highway Corridor
In the NT, $60 million for Tiwi Island road upgrades.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1113029539381170177

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Federal Budget bypasses Cross River Rail for M1 bottleneck fix and light rail expansion

THE federal Budget has again bypassed Cross River Rail with funding focused on a notorious M1 bottleneck and the light rail expansion on the Gold Coast.

Budget documents reveal $4 billion is committed to new projects across the state with the Bruce Highway at Cairns, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast commanding $425 million of the spending.

The only new funding for the M1 will be $500 million for the Daisy Hill to Logan Motorway stretch.

The Budget documents note about $1.2 billion worth of works is underway at the Gateway merge and southern section of Coast from Mudgeeraba to Reedy Creek.

Under the Commonwealth's Urban Congestion Fund, about $50 million will be allocated to the M1 upgrade program.

While the government has committed to $112 million in funding for light rail stage 3A from Broadbeach to Burleigh, the Budget focus was on fast rail.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg last night said: "Central to our plan is a long-term fast-rail vision for Australia. To make this vision a reality, we are providing $2 billion in this Budget for fast-rail between Melbourne and Geelong, slashing travel times in half."

Work was underway on developing other fast-rail corridors including Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, the Treasurer said.

But the Palaszczuk Government, in State Parliament yesterday, maintained it was doing all the heavy lifting on transport upgrades.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey told Parliament: "We've watched federal commitments on Gold Coast light rail slip, from to 38 per cent to 23 per cent and now 16 per cent. The Queensland LNP has already signed up for this terrible deal."

Mr Bailey accused the Federal Government of "still dudding Queenslanders with 50/50 funding" on the M1, while New South Wales gets 80/20.

Gold Coast-based Senator Murray Watt last night described the Budget as "disappointing" for the Coast because it failed to produce any new transport projects.

"There is nothing new that we didn't already know. There is still nothing for Cross River Rail which would have increased rail services every five minutes on the Coast during the morning peak," Senator Watt said.

"After six years of cuts and chaos, I expect Gold Coasters will see through this election con job."

In State Parliament yesterday, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk taunted the LNP frontbench about Queensland "not getting its fair share" from the Budget compared to Sydney and Melbourne.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/jackietrad/status/1113008240990670848

[ozbob]

ABC --> Federal Budget 2019: Winners and losers

[SurfRail]

None of it matters.  Election will be called before the week is out for either 11 or 18 May, and they will be defenestrated meaning this budget will never actually pass.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/RACQOfficial/status/1113203503638274050

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ellinghausen/status/1113202942566227968

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/SEQMayors/status/1113244237795983360

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Fast rail authority to work on five corridors

The Federal Budget has added detail to the Coalition's plan to establish a National Faster Rail Agency, along with the five corridors the Authority will first study for business cases.

The Budget unveiled by treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Tuesday evening featured a lot of rail spending already announced by the Morrison Government, including $3.5 billion for the North South Rail Link in Western Sydney, $2 billion to develop fast rail between Geelong and Melbourne, $700 million to duplicate rail between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds, and $210 million for level crossing removals in Perth.

It also detailed $14.5 million will be spent to establish the National Faster Rail Agency, and $40 million will fund five business case studies.

The Government said the Agency will be supported by an expert panel, and will work in close partnership with state and territory governments and private industry.

Business cases will be developed under the plan for fast rail between Sydney and Wollongong, Sydney and Parkes via Bathurst and Orange, Melbourne and Albury-Wodonga, Melbourne and Traralgon, and Brisbane and the Gold Coast. These would be additional to the three business cases already being studied: Sydney to Newcastle, Melbourne to Shepparton, and Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast.

Frydenberg said the development of fast rail was "central" to the Coalition's plan for Australia. "We are getting on with the job of building infrastructure," the treasurer said.

Specifically, the news a business case would be developed for fast rail between Brisbane and the Gold Coast was welcomed by the Council of Mayors for South East Queensland.

"The SEQ mayors have lobbied incredibly hard to ensure our region has the infrastructure needed to cater for our growing population," council chair and mayor of Brisbane Graham Quirk said. "This announcement is acknowledgement that our message is getting through and Canberra is hearing us loud and clear."

Quirk said fast rail could cut the commute from Brisbane to the Gold Coast to just 35 minutes, a crucial improvement to manage population growth across the region.

"In the coming decades, the region's population will grow to more than five million people. Without the infrastructure to support this growth, maintaining the liveability and lifestyle we currently enjoy in SEQ will become increasingly challenging."

Australasian Railway Association CEO Danny Broad welcomed the introduction of a platform for future investment for congestion-relieving fast rail. However, Broad was unhappy with a lack of new announcements for urban rail projects, "particularly in light of the significant spending on roads nationally in this Budget," he said.

"Given that a peak hour Sydney train can replace 800 cars and a freight train can replace 110 trucks, I would have liked to have seen more rail to deal with urban congestion."

Broad did note a positive step elsewhere in the Budget, with $525 million allocated to improve the quality of vocational education and training.

"This includes the establishment of a National Skills Commission to drive reform, and additional payments to support up to 80,000 apprentices over five years in skills shortage areas."

Broad's desire for more urban rail funding was certainly shared by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who lashed the Budget announcement for neglecting her state.

"We heard plenty about Sydney and Melbourne and the vast sums of money lavished on those cities instead of ours," the premier said. "$2 billion for a fast rail link between Melbourne and Geelong; $5 billion for an airport link for Melbourne ... Nothing for Cross River Rail."

The Morrison Government has repeatedly said it will not support the Cross River Rail project, choosing to instead point to the Palaszczuk Government's commitment to fund the project alone if it must. Bill Shorten has committed to a joint funding model, should Labor win the forthcoming federal election.

"We don't mind punching above our weight but I do object to having a hand tied behind our back," Palaszczuk said. "My government wants to work with a federal government that wants to work with us. The numbers don't lie. This federal government doesn't back Queensalnd."

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> RACQ questions 'unusual' federal move to fund park-and-ride spaces

A new congestion-busting initiative launched in Tuesday's budget by the federal government could tackle local problems despite some "unusual" decisions, the RACQ said on Wednesday.

The federal budget revealed a $4 billion Urban Congestion Fund, which will be used to fund a wide range of local road and rail projects, initially during the May federal election.

Within that $4 billion Urban Congestion Fund is the Commuter Car Park Fund – to fund park-and-ride spaces – which has $500 million allocated to it.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten announced a $300 million National Park and Ride Fund in July 2018.

A Brisbane City Council-owned roundabout near Indooroopilly Shopping Centre and two crowded park-and-ride facilities at Mango Hill and Ferny Grove train station all received unusual, "congestion-busting" federal government funding from this funds on Tuesday night.

Lindum rail crossing near Wynnum where a woman died last month, also received $85 million in federal government funding on Tuesday night.

The federal government on Wednesday said details would be announced "soon" on the new Commuter Car Park Fund, which is described as providing park-and-ride spaces near public transport.

The RACQ's head of public policy Dr Rebecca Michael said it was "unusual" for the federal government to be stepping into areas normally funded by the Queensland government.

Tuesday's budget papers show "commuter car park upgrades" at Mango Hill and Ferny Grove.

The funds includes $25 million for the Coonan Street roundabout on Moggill Road at Indooroopilly, $85 million for the Lindum rail station and smaller sums for the two park and ride stations.

Building park-and-ride stations and improving arterial road intersections are normally a state government responsibility, Dr Michael said.

"It is unusual, I will say that," she said.

"But it is being bundled up as part of the Urban Congestion Fund.

"That overall suite of measures is designed to tackle congestion hotspots in SEQ or the Brisbane area."

Dr Michael said money for the two park-and-ride stations at Mango Hill and Ferny Grove would be influenced by traffic congestion in the surrounding area.

"So while it may seem like an unusual decision for the federal government to fund what is essentially state government infrastructure, it might be doing that as part of a broader congestion-busting initiative."

Queensland receives $83 million in 2019-20 from the Urban Congestion Fund, she said.

She disagreed the fund could be viewed as an election "slush fund" to fund urgent works in Queensland's marginal seats.

She said the fund included $12 million to upgrade the Newnham and Wecker roads intersection at Mount Gravatt East.

"What I am saying is that once you do those sorts of (road) upgrades the money that is left over to allocate to commuter car park upgrades would be vastly reduced, or minor in comparison," she said.

"So I wouldn't suggest that was what the Commonwealth was doing."

Overall Dr Michael said the federal funding of local congestion issues was "appropriate".

"I think it is prudent and sensible to take a network-wide view of congestion."

She said the congestion hotspots were well recognised and known to the RACQ.

Ms Michael said she had few details about the $85 million promised by the federal government to upgrade the Lindum Rail Crossing, which was confirmed on federal MP Ross Vasta's website.

"There are a number of rail crossings in Brisbane on the rail network that we might have prioritised over that one," she said.

However, Ms Michael said she was unaware of recent business case details for the rail crossing upgrade.

The crossing is on the Cleveland line and very close to Iona College.

Mr Vasta, in a media release on his website, said he has also secured $40 million from Brisbane City Council to upgrade the rail crossing near Wynnum after beginning a petition in November 2017.

"This is a huge win for the Bayside community," Mr Vasta said.

"I've spoken to local families, businesses and the community surrounding Lindum and they want to see this fixed," he said.

Federal Cities minister Alan Tudge inspected the rail crossing in December 2018.

Queensland's Labor government began a $800,000 planning study to upgrade the rail crossing last year.

Other projects listed for 2019-20 funding under the Queensland section of the federal government's Urban Infrastructure Fund include:

$12 million for the Mooloolaba Access Upgrade;
$50 million for the ongoing Ipswich Motorway upgrade;
$50 million for the ongoing M1 Pacific Motorway Upgrade Program and;
$50 million for the ongoing Gympie Arterial Road
It includes major roads around Hervey Bay, Yeppoon, Bundaberg and Rockhampton under the Roads of National Importance program.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1113240361722191872

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Budget reply: Shorten's $6.3b for Qld infrastructure

A MASSIVE investment the Gateway Motorway, Bruce Highway and Cross River Rail headlines an ambitious $6.3 billion in road, rail, port and dam expenditure by a Shorten Labor government – and more announcements are expected to follow.

The infrastructure plan — revealed by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in his Budget reply speech — is not limited to southeast Queensland, with projects announced from Cairns to the Gold Coast as well as a $500 million fund to upgrade 3000km of inland roads and upgrading 300 bridges.

In the biggest new commitment, $1.5 million has been set aside for upgrades to the Gateway and Bruce Highway in the southeast.

This will include widening the Gateway from four to six lanes. As the road is widened, an "intelligent transport system" will be built in to include variable speed limit signs, digital message signs and traffic monitoring cameras.

The Bruce Highway will get an upgrade at the Dohles Rock Rd intersection, matching a Coalition commitment, as well a new bridge will be built over the Pine River and four new feeder roads to take local traffic off the highway.

There are more upgrades planned for the central and northern sections of the Bruce Highway, including extending it to Cairns airport and conducting a study into dual-laning between Gladstone and Rockhampton.

Mr Shorten also recommitted to invest $2.24 billion into the $5.54 billion Cross River Rail, free up state government funds.

A range of projects announced by the Coalition have been matched, neutralising the commitments in regional areas.

These includes the Gold Coast light rail extension to Burleigh Heads, the Gladstone Port Access Road, Mackay Ring Road stage 2 and Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road duplication.

The Coalition has so far committed $4 billion into Queensland infrastructure, with the biggest difference being the lack of funds for the Cross River Rail.

[techblitz]

Saturday 18th may looks like the election date...leaked by liberal insiders apparently...

[red dragin]

Saturday 18th may looks like the election date...leaked by liberal insiders apparently...

Time to leave the country for a few weeks to get away from all the BS!

[ozbob]

If you had an alcoholic drink every time ' congestion busting ' will be mentioned once the campaign officially kicks off. 

You will probably last about 12 hours before you are unconscious with acute alcohol poisoning ...

[SurfRail]

Saturday 18th may looks like the election date...leaked by liberal insiders apparently...

Time to leave the country for a few weeks to get away from all the BS!

If so, then I'll be travelling on Translink services that day... in Vancouver.  I arrive the day before.  Postal time.

[brissypete]

I'll be in Japan for first time, looking forward to ontime trains and real apologies if they are not.

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/labor-matches-government-in-queensland-infrastructure-war-20190405-p51bed.html

Coalition and ALP in agreement

Townsville Port Channel widening - $75 million.
Bruce Highway extension to Cairns Airport - $40 million.
Townsville Water Security Burdekin Pipeline - $100 million
Mackay Port Access Road - $280 million
Rockhampton Ring Road - $800 million
Rockhampton South Flood Weir - $85 million
Gladstone Port Access Road - $100 million
Gold Coast Light Rail - $112 million
Rural and Regional Roads - $500 million
Brisbane's Linkfield Road Overpass - $60 million
Rookwood Weir irrigation scheme - $176 million
Money for Brisbane to Gold Coast Fast Rail projects

Where they differ

Labor will fund $2.24 billion towards Brisbane's Cross River Rail
Labor will fund $25 million towards Keppel Island upgrades
The Coalition will fund $25 million towards the Moggill Road-Coonan Street roundabout in Indooroopilly
The Coalition will fund $85 million of upgrade of Lindum rail crossing
Labor will fund $73 million to upgrade Cooper's Plains level crossing