MATT STEVENSON

It is interesting trawling through the Hansard to find this comment by Mr Sturges. “Make no bones about it, we are out there, we are stumped up and we are having a go for Tasmania rather than sitting back in the stands throwing rocks.” It doesn’t look like it to me. A long term platform is needed. Leadership is as much about being well planned as it is about showing a vision. Clearly there is no planning, let alone any vision in this Government with the exception of those times where it needs to divert political heat…and a vision is developed with no commonsense. Read more, Comment here

Meanwhile … Greens, Libs … questions for Sturgo

MINISTER GIVES TWO DIFFERENT REASONS FOR FAILURE TO APPLY FOR NATION-BUILDING FUNDS
But One is Absurd, and the Other is Outrageous
Tim Morris MP
Greens Infrastructure Spokesperson
Sunday, 31 May 2009

www.tas.greens.org.au
The Tasmanian Greens today called on Infrastructure Minister Graeme Sturges to clarify whether he failed to apply for any of the Rudd Government’s $22 billion nation-building fund on behalf of Tasmania’s ailing rail network because Tasmania had already received promises of federal infrastructure funding, as he told ABC’s Stateline on Friday evening, or because rail did not meet the criteria, as he told various news outlets the next day.

Greens Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said the Federal Government’s nation-building fund had allocated billions of dollars to rail projects interstate, completely undermining the Minister’s absurd claim that rail did not meet the criteria, and raising more questions about his competence and ability to tell the truth.

Mr Morris also said the Minister’s other suggestion, that Tasmanian rail did not qualify for funding because of previous promises from the Federal Government, was outrageous and indicated some kind of behind-the-scenes agreement between Federal and State Labor politicians, at the expense of Tasmania’s rail network.

“Minister Sturges’ claim that rail did not meet the published criteria is patently false, so did the Infrastructure Minister and his government secretly sacrifice the last and best chance to revamp our rail network, in return for other federal infrastructure allocations?,” said Mr Morris.

“When these previous Federal allocations were announced there was a lot of talk about making up for the Howard Government’s decade-long failure to properly fund Tasmanian infrastructure, but no mention of Tasmania agreeing to forgo our share of $22 billion on behalf of our rail network.”

“The Minister has given two reasons for his failure to apply for any of the $22 billion in federal nation-building funds on behalf of our rail network, but one is absurd and the other is outrageous.”

“The Minister must explain whether he or Premier David Bartlett secretly negotiated away Tasmania’s right to apply for the latest round of Federal infrastructure funding, in return for Labor Party unity,” said Mr Morris.

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Jeremy Rockliff MP
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure
Sunday May 31, 2009

More questions for Sturges and Premier on rail funding

· Federal Government claims its budget delivered “the most sweeping investment in rail in generations”

· The Tasmanian Government did not even ask for rail funds

Given that the recent Federal Budget claims to have delivered “the most sweeping investment in rail in generations” it’s hard to swallow the State Infrastructure Minister’s claim that rail projects in our state weren’t eligible for funding.

Was this because the State Government had done so little homework on projects needed to secure the long term future of rail in our State?

Is that why the Tasmanian Government didn’t even bother to apply for funding for our crisis torn rail system as part of the recent $22 billion federal spend?

Minister Sturges should explain, because the Federal Government has promoted its recent budget as providing the most sweeping investment in rail in generations, with $7.9 billion to be invested over six years in improving and expanding the nation’s passenger and rail freight infrastructure.

According to the Federal Infrastructure Minister’s budget media release these included:

Building Australia Fund

The Building Australia Fund was established by the Government last year to provide an additional means of investing in major infrastructure projects.

The projects receiving funding as part of the 2009-10 Budget have been assessed and recommended by Infrastructure Australia. They are:

Regional Rail Express in Victoria: construction is expected to commence in 2010 and is scheduled for completion in 2014. Total Federal investment will be $3.2 billion.
Gawler Rail Line Modernisation in South Australia: construction is expected to commence in 2010 and is scheduled for completion in 2013. Total Federal investment will be $293.5 million.
Noarlunga to Seaford Rail Extension in South Australia: construction is expected to commence in 2010 and is scheduled for completion in 2013. Total Federal investment will be $291.2 million.
Gold Coast Light Rail in Queensland: construction is expected to commence in 2011 and is scheduled for completion in 2013. Total Federal investment will be $365.0 million.
East-West Rail Tunnel – Preconstruction Work in Victoria: construction is expected to commence in 2012 and is scheduled for completion in 2018. Total Federal investment will be $40.0 million.
West Metro – Preconstruction Work in NSW: $91.0 million to undertake detailed planning and environmental assessments. This will allow the project to be put out to tender in 2010.
The total value of these rail projects is $4.3 billion.

It’s time for the Premier to reveal what he knew about the State’s bid for funding for rail in the recent $22 billion nation building spend.

Was Mr Bartlett aware that Tasmania wasn’t even asking for a single red cent?

Rail infrastructure is vital for Tasmania’s long-term economic prosperity. Its neglect after 11 years of Labor Government shows how incapable Labor is of properly planning for the future and the State Government’s failure to apply for funding as part of the biggest investment in rail in generations by the Federal Government is incompetence of the highest order.

See the Federal Minister’s media release on rail investment in the recent Budget at: www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/aa/releases/2009/May/budget-infra_14-2009.htm