New legislation introduced by the Greens in Canberra today could give Hobart’s light rail project the leg-up it needs.
Greens candidate for Denison, Anna Reynolds, said the Infrastructure (Priority Funding) Amendment Bill introduced by Greens MP Adam Bandt is good news for Hobart.
“Year after year, election after election, Federal governments give greater priority to the funding of road projects over funding of rail projects,” Ms Reynolds said.
“This means we end up with bigger highways and more traffic congestion, and risk missing out on the benefits of new rail links.”
The Greens’ Bill amends the Infrastructure Australia Act 2008 to require the Commonwealth to prioritise federal funding of rail projects already on the National Priority List.
“In his electorate of Melbourne, Adam Bandt wants the Melbourne Metro to be funded ahead of any new major metropolitan road projects such as the East West tunnel,” Ms Reynolds said.
“In my electorate of Denison, I want to see local, State and Federal governments working together on a light rail project for Hobart’s northern suburbs with a well-supported funding proposal submitted to Infrastructure Australia”, she said.
“For $100 million, we can have a light rail link to Hobart’s northern suburbs that will transform our city. For $200 million, we can just upgrade the Brooker Highway…again.”
Online here
Anna Reynolds, Greens Candidate for Denison
