Coalition's WA roads pothole
The Opposition has confirmed it has not allocated any money in its budget costings for two key road projects in country WA - upgrades to the Great Northern and North West Coastal highways.
Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop made a clarifying statement last night that the projects were not funded in its financial plan after Labor accused the coalition of a $500 million hole in its costings. "We don't have any hole in our costings because these (projects) are not in the forward estimates," Ms Bishop said.
"Once we're in government, we will sit down with the Barnett Government and talk to them about their preferred timetable, how to bring the projects to fruition as soon as possible."
Despite the absence of funding, Ms Bishop insisted the Opposition was committed to the projects. "We believe that they are priority roads that Colin Barnett has identified," Ms Bishop said.
The Barnett Government - which has assumed Commonwealth funding for the roads will flow from next year after a commitment in May from Labor - refused to comment last night.
Under the coalition's financial plan, up to $500 million for light and heavy rail in WA has been cut while the mining tax-funded Regional Investment Fund will also be axed.
The RIF funded $308 million towards the Great Northern Highway and $174 million for North West Coastal Highway.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott claimed the cuts to road funding would be more than offset by the gains made by ditching the mining and carbon taxes.
Resources Minister Gary Gray said it was clear the Liberals would cut $1 billion from WA transport projects.
"It is no wonder that Troy Buswell and Colin Barnett are in shock and have made no comments about these announcements," he said.
Shadow assistant treasurer Mathias Cormann said the ALP had consistently over promised and under delivered to WA.
"Labor has used WA as a cash cow for its wasteful spending out of Canberra on pink batts and overpriced school halls," he said.
"WA is still waiting for the $100 million a year WA Infrastructure Fund, for example, which Kevin Rudd promised in 2007 and which has never seen the light of day."
