Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Resources, Forestry and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak to this motion on the Pacific Highway and, in doing so, reject the proposition by the member for Cowper. The facts are that from 1996 to June 2006 the New South Wales government will have invested $1.6 billion in the Pacific Highway, while the federal government, of which he is a member, has invested only $660 million. That is a $160 million a year commitment by the New South Wales government, compared with a $60 million a year commitment by the federal government. This means that the New South Wales government is contributing 72 per cent of the funding for the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border.

In terms of responsibility, the Pacific Highway has now changed as a result of the federal government’s AusLink national network. Under the AusLink funding agreement, the federal government’s funding falls woefully short of the $8 billion that is now needed to complete a high-standard, dual-carriageway motorway between Hexham and the Queensland border. Under the approach used by the Australian government for other roads in the national AusLink network, the federal government should either fully fund projects or contribute at least 80 per cent of the cost. Too much of the federal government’s AusLink agreement is about robbing Peter to pay Paul, a sleight of hand designed to make it look as though the federal government is contributing more in some areas. But it is taking away funding in other areas.

The good news for all of us—and this is what the debate ought to be about—is that the job is now getting done, even if the federal government is underfunding New South Wales roads. Since 1996 a total of 44 projects have opened to traffic, with motorists now benefiting from 229 kilometres of four-lane dual carriageway, and people should not forget that this joint approach was initiated prior to the 1996 election by the then federal minister for transport Laurie Brereton, a Labor minister for transport. A further eight projects are under construction or have been approved and are awaiting the start of construction. A further 17 upgrading projects are in the planning stage.

By the end of this financial year—let us deal with the facts—approximately 44 per cent of the 677-kilometre highway, the length from Hexham to the Queensland border, will either be completed dual carriageway or under construction. It could have been better if the federal government had put more in over the last decade. The travel time for both light and heavy vehicles on the Pacific Highway has also decreased by more than one hour over the last 10 years.

On 23 December last year, the New South Wales government signed a memorandum of understanding—the original proposition came from the opposition in the lead-up to the federal election, and the government followed—which requires the government to explore funding options to accelerate the completion of the Pacific Highway to dual carriageway. The Bonville bypass is included as part of this program.

Work is proceeding on a new stretch of the Pacific Highway at Bonville. Tenders to design, build and maintain the bypass closed on 23 December 2005. The Roads and Traffic Authority expects to award the contract before June 2006, with construction to commence soon after. To date, $12 million has been spent on the upgrade, including project development, geotechnical investigations, an environmental impact statement and property acquisition.

On the same day, both the New South Wales and federal governments announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding for a program of around $960 million to upgrade a further 64 kilometres of highway to dual carriageway by mid-2009. In the interim, safety improvement works involving installation of a central median barrier through Pine Creek and shoulder widening will be completed by June 2006—and it goes on. Since December 2005, two speed cameras have been in operation to cover both directions of the highway in Bonville, and the speed limits have been reduced.

The New South Wales government remains committed to completing the upgrade of the Pacific Highway as quickly as possible. It is about time the Howard government recognised this and, in essence, pulled its finger out and put more money on the table so that we can overcome road safety problems on this highway. The Pacific Highway agreement between the federal government and the New South Wales government was a Labor initiative when Labor was in government, prior to 1996. The New South Wales government is looking to the federal government to do more, because, for example, the Pacific Highway between here and the Albury border is a deathtrap because of the failure of the federal government to do its job. The federal government has been more concerned about cherry-picking projects for short-term political advantage, with no regard to the safety of Australian motorists. (Time expired)

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