State and territory governments around Australia and the Federal Government – under its JobMaker plan – are jointly funding ‘shovel-ready’ projects to fast-track infrastructure works and support economic recovery.
On 14 June, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the Federal Government would commit a further $1.5 billion to expedite work on priority projects, proposing bilateral partnerships with states and territories to speed up approvals processes.
Major fast-tracked projects already announced include Inland Rail; the Marinus Link; the Olympic Dam extension; NSW emergency town water projects; and road, rail and iron ore projects in Western Australia.
Mr Morrison said priority would also be given to smaller shovel-ready projects, in part to provide opportunities for small and medium-sized contractors and suppliers.
Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said the funding injection would support local jobs and businesses while providing lasting infrastructure to help Queensland bounce back as COVID-19 restrictions ease.
“We have worked closely with state, territory and local governments to identify shovel-ready projects right across the country to strengthen the economy and get money flowing into jobs and businesses as soon as possible.”
The following is a breakdown of projects that have received funding around the country. This story will be updated as more investment is announced.
Queensland
The Federal and Queensland Governments will jointly invest an additional $415 million to fast-track projects and deliver urgent road safety upgrades.
The Federal Government committed $324.3 million and Queensland Government $90.3 million. This brings the Federal Government’s investment in Queensland transport infrastructure to more than $26.7 billion.
This package builds on the fast-tracking of $1.4 billion for infrastructure in Queensland announced in November 2019, locking in priority upgrades designed to ease congestion, increase productivity, improve safety, and boost jobs.
Funded projects include the Burke and Gregory Developmental roads as well as smaller works right across the regional network to improve safety, accessibility and flood immunity.
The funding injection will also deliver fixes for projects like the Gateway Motorway Flyover.
“It’ll mean we can help bust congestion on this busy bridge that has more than 40,000 vehicles travelling northbound every single day,” Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said.
The jointly-funded roads package would support a further 700 Queensland jobs at a time when they are needed most.
Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said the Queensland and Federal Governments would continue working closely together to get shovels in the ground to support local jobs and the economy as soon as possible.
“Investing in lasting infrastructure projects now will also benefit Queenslanders in the years to come, strengthening our economy in the long run,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Mr Tudge said investing in safer and more efficient road networks would not only help save lives and time, it would strengthen the national economy by ensuring communities are connected with jobs and services and businesses with markets.
Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, said the State Government had started delivering a plan to Unite and Recover for Queensland jobs, so this funding would provide some much needed certainty for Queensland businesses and contractors.
“In May, we announced a $400 million state-funded roads recovery package to get people into work quickly and this additional Federal investment means even more projects and more jobs across the state coming online to assist Queensland’s economic recovery,” Mr Bailey said.
Gateway Motorway, Brisbane
Northern Territory
The Federal and Northern Territory Governments have invested an additional $40.4 million and $12.7 million respectively, bringing a total of $53 million extra funding for expediting projects.
This raises the amount of fast-tracked projects or additional infrastructure funding to nearly $190 million across the NT in the past eight months.
This package builds on the fast-tracking of $147 million for infrastructure in NT from November 2019, and is designed to target key freight, community access and tourist routes across the North.
Particular priority was given to upgrades that would increase productivity, improve safety, and boost jobs.
The package included $34.6 million for life-saving road safety improvements across the Territory.
Projects include upgrades along major and busiest routes such as the Stuart, Barkly, Carpentaria and Victoria Highways, as well as improving safety around remote intersections and roadhouses.
These works include sealing shoulders and improving or installing guardrails, truck stops and audio-tactile line markings to reduce crashes.
Teams will be widening and sealing shoulders at critical points along Litchfield Park Road, and making safety improvements along the Kennedy Highway and Tiger Brennan Drive.
Northern Territory Chief Minister, Michael Gunner, said this road was a particularly popular tourist route, so the works would ensure it is safer for when tourism bounces back in the Territory.
Northern Territory Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics, Eva Lawler, said, “These works will improve road safety and bolster the resilience of the Territory’s road networks, which is absolutely critical for getting all our motorists home safely.”
The spending is built on the Federal Government’s $1.7 billion for roads in Northern Australia under the Roads of Strategic Importance Initiative and the $700 million investment under the Northern Australia Roads and Northern Australia Beef Roads programs.
The Gregory Developmental Road
ACT
The Federal Government will match the ACT Government’s additional $17.6 investment in additional infrastructure, bringing the total to approximately $35 million for the Territory.
This funding injection of an additional $48 million has been brought forward or provided to the ACT in the past eight months, and builds on the fast-tracking of $30 million in Monaro Highway funding.
The package involves upgrading intersections Territory-wide, improving Northbourne Avenue, delivering a new Mitchell light rail stop, and investing in road safety barriers and variable speed limit infrastructure on the Tuggeranong Parkway.
It also includes $1.6 million from the ACT Government to jointly-fund targeted road safety investments across the Territory, including upgrades to traffic signals to keep them on during power outages, and the installation of road safety barriers to protect motorists on arterial roads.
ACT Minister for Transport and Minister for Roads and Active Travel, Chris Steel, said the Federal and ACT Governments would jointly fund the Northbourne Avenue Pavement Rehabilitation, an additional light rail stop at Mitchell, and bring forward the construction of traffic lights at four intersections.
“Design is being undertaken on a 14th stop on the light rail line and we will work with Canberra Metro to build the station at Sandford St over the next year,” Mr Steel said.
“The new light rail stop on Flemington Road at Sandford Street will provide better access to the Mitchell business district in addition to the existing stop at Well Station Drive.
“In this infrastructure package we are also bringing forward the installation of traffic lights to improve road safety and pedestrian access at four key intersections in Belconnen and Woden.”
The intersections included are:
- Belconnen Way/Springvale Drive, Hawker
- Southern Cross Drive/Starke Street, Holt
- Launceston Street/Irving Street, Philli
- Kuringa Drive/Owen Dixon Drive, Evatt
Western Australia
The Western Australian and Federal Governments will jointly fund road safety upgrades across the state.
This includes upgrades to:
- The Great Northern Highway in the Kimberley region
- The Great Northern Highway and Point Samson Road in the Pilbara
- Yardie Creek Road and Minilya – Exmouth Road under the Exmouth Roads Package
