The Australian government, led by Anthony Albanese, has committed an additional $7.2 billion to upgrade the Bruce Highway in Queensland, despite Infrastructure Australia's 2021 assessment that the project's benefits did not justify the cost. The government's decision to allocate 80% of the funding, exceeding its stated preference of 50% for state road and rail projects, has raised concerns about prioritization and potential electioneering. While Albanese emphasized the highway's safety record and the urgent need for repairs, Infrastructure Australia maintained that the project, in isolation, was unlikely to deliver a significant economic productivity benefit.
The Albanese government ignored advice from its own independent adviser, Infrastructure Australia , after it found the Bruce Highway project costs outweighed the benefits.to fix the Bruce Highway in Queensland on Monday.
Weâre making Bruce Highway safer, giving it the upgrade Queenslanders have always needed with a record $7.2 billion investment.“Our review concurred with the business case and found that, with the scope proposed, the project, in isolation, is unlikely to deliver a productivity benefit to the economy,” Infrastructure Australia said.Despite the adverse productivity finding, Mr Albanese claimed at a press conference the $7.
Labor’s decision to provide 80 per cent of the funding has breached the stated preference to limit federal spending on state road and rail projects to no more than 50 per cent. "There's been two fatalities already, in an accident, already this year. And that's why this is a priority. That's why we're singling out this highway above all others to contribute 80 per cent funding rather than the 50 per cent that is standard across other road and rail projects across not just Queensland but around the country," Mr Albanese said.on infrastructure projects in a move that outraged Queensland.
“We’ll have more to say about infrastructure as we go forward because Labor governments are always the governments that build Australia’s future.”
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