Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the funding reallocated by the Turnbull Government last week from the now­ defunct East West Link was directed almost entirely to roads in Victoria, despite the original $3 billion in funding being earmarked for public transport,

  (ii) the Turnbull Government is yet to commit funding to any major public transport projects in our urban centres, and

  (iii) investment in well-designed public transport infrastructure is essential to tackle congestion in effective, economic, equitable and less polluting ways; and

(b) calls on the Government to prioritise funding for public transport in our major urban centres, which boosts productivity and addresses car-dependence in our cities.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government recognises that investment in public transport is a critical part of easing congestion and boosting productivity in our major cities and regions. The government is funding urban rail infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment Programme and Treasury initiatives, including the Asset Recycling Initiative. Recent commitments include: $490 million for the Forrestfield Airport Link in Western Australia; $95 million for the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2; $43 million for the Flinders Link in South Australia; and $10 million funding for additional planning for Brisbane's Cross River Rail project. A further $1.7 billion has also been committed to Sydney Metro under the Asset Recycling Initiative.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Janet Rice (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Victorians voted to dump the East West Link in favour of world-class public transport, but all we are getting from the federal government is more and more roads. Despite the Prime Minister's selfies on trains, currently only one per cent of federal funding is going into public transport. Yet we know that trying to ease congestion by building more roads is like loosening your belt to cure obesity. The only way to solve our congestion woes is to give people the choice to get out of their cars and free up our roads for the people who need them.

Young Australians who are living in the outer suburbs and the regions are being left behind because of where they live and whether they can afford to run a car. A quarter of unemployed young people say that accessing transport is a key barrier in finding a job, and 61 per cent of them do not drive. The Turnbull government must stop following Mr Abbott's agenda and prioritise funding for trains, buses and trams.

Question agreed to.