Media Release - Independent Infrastructure Planning in Labor's DNA
Federal Labor welcomes the McGowan Labor Government’s release today of the Infrastructure WA draft strategy.
This is proof of Labor’s commitment to independent infrastructure planning across Australia.
Infrastructure WA’s establishment follows the model of the independent Infrastructure Australia, set up by Anthony Albanese as Infrastructure Minister in 2008 to advise on the investments and reforms needed in the sector.
It was a great idea then, and it’s a great idea now.
The strategy, which has taken a triple bottom line approach, considering social, economic and environmental matters, in developing the recommendations, will ensure Western Australia’s approach to infrastructure over the next 20 years and beyond is backed by independent evidence.
The strategy recommends investing in major projects and programs across the social and affordable housing; transport; justice and public safety; water; and arts and culture sectors.
Ensuring the needs of social infrastructure, such as support for women escaping domestic violence, as well as action on climate change are met is an important feature of Infrastructure WA’s draft strategy.
It also recommends several investigations and planning works on projects such as fast rail to Bunbury and light rail in the Perth CBD as the next stage of Perth’s major transport investment.
The report’s release comes as the Federal Government’s handling of infrastructure spending has continually been shown to be poorly coordinated and politically driven.
As part of the $4.8 billion Urban Congestion Fund, the Federal Government implemented a Commuter Car Parks program. According to the Federal Government, the purpose of the fund was to build car parks near public transport to ease congestion on busy roads. But investigations by the Auditor-General have revealed that in reality the fund was used to direct taxpayer money to help the Liberal Party win seats.
The program allocated $660 million of taxpayers money in the lead up to the 2019 election. 87 per cent of the funding was allocated to project sites located in Liberal held or marginal electorates the Morrison Government was trying to win. Liberal seats and marginal seats were prioritised. If you lived in a Labor electorate you are a low priority for this Federal Government.
Most disturbing was the process undertaken to allocate the funds. The Department of Infrastructure was completely sidelined. Not a single one of the 47 project sites was selected by the Department. Instead, the Minister’s office prepared a spreadsheet listing the top 20 marginal electorates and then started speaking with Liberal MPs, Senators and candidates.
Electorates were picked first. Then the amount of money to be allocated. Only then, at the end of the process, was it determined what would actually be built.
Consultation with stakeholders was replaced by consultation with candidates. Local Councils weren’t asked. The Department was ignored. Australians desperately in need of critical infrastructure missed out.
Of 47 car parks, only one is in Western Australia.
At over 300 pages long, the size of Infrastructure WA’s Strategy is significant. This is how infrastructure should be planned, not with a single page politicised spreadsheet.