Opposition leader says Coalition will begin work on key infrastructure projects across the country within one year of taking office
May 17, 2013
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has committed his party to beginning work on big-ticket road infrastructure projects within one year of taking office.
In his Budget reply speech last night, Abbott also reiterated a pledge to abolish the carbon tax and “finish the job” that former Treasury head Ken Henry started with his 2010 tax review.
Abbott says the Coalition will start work within 12 months on Melbourne’s East-West Link, Sydney’s WestConnex, Brisbane’s Gateway Motorway upgrade and Adelaide’s South Road.
Abbott also announced work will also begin on Tasmania’s Midland Highway “as well as key roads in Perth and parts of the Bruce Highway” in his first year.
“We will duplicate the Pacific Highway, finally, well within this decade,” he says.
Abbott says the Coalition will produce a comprehensive white paper on tax reform within two years of being elected.
“We’ll finish the job that the Henry review started and this government squibbed. We want taxes that are lower, simpler and fairer and will take proposals for further tax reform to the following election,” he says.
Henry’s review included proposals to overhaul road pricing, such as introducing congestion charging, billing people to use express road lanes and implementing mass-distance-location pricing for heavy vehicles.
Abbott says the Coalition’s first tax reform will be immediately repealing the carbon tax.
The tax is due to apply to trucking operators on July 1 next year, increasing the fuel excise by 6.85 cents per litre.
“What one parliament legislates, another parliament can repeal and the carbon tax repeal bill, should we be elected, will be the first legislation that a new parliament considers,” Abbott says.
Opposition spokesman on transport Warren Truss says the coalition will spend $5.64 billion to complete the duplication of the Pacific Highway, $1 billion for the Gateway upgrade and $1.5 billion for WestConnex.
