Andrew Leigh

LABOR WELCOMES LATEST MAJURA PARKWAY MILESTONE

Joint media release with Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese and Senator for the ACT Katy Gallagher

Labor welcomes the completion of the Molongo River and Fairbairn bridges as part of Canberra’s $288 million Majura Parkway project.

The project will reduce traffic congestion for Canberra motorists by linking the Federal and Monaro highways and diverting trucks and other traffic moving through Canberra away from the city centre.

It will deliver more than $1 billion worth of economic, social and environmental benefits and carry at least 40,000 vehicles a day, including 6000 trucks, by 2030.

The ACT Labor Government and the former federal Labor government funded the project in 2011, each contributing $144 million.

Importantly, it was assessed by the independent Infrastructure Australia, which confirmed it would deliver genuine productivity gains for Canberra and the surrounding region.

The Majura Parkway project is testimony to the importance of heeding Infrastructure Australia assessments of major projects to ensure governments obtain the maximum productivity gains from public spending.

The current government has marginalised Infrastructure Australia, ignoring its recommendations to invest in public transport in the nation’s cities and instead investing in new toll roads without the benefit of cost-benefit analysis.

The Majura Parkway has already delivered extra benefits for Canberra, with major stores like Ikea about to open their doors in the nearby Majura shopping precinct.

Since delivering the funds for the project, Labor has continued to secure infrastructure wins for Canberra even from opposition.

Last year we delivered $1.1 billion in new funding for the Roads to Recovery program nationally by making this a condition of passing the Government’s fuel excise hike.

That decision saw more than $33 million in new money directed to fixing blackspots in the ACT and improving road safety. 

Labor believes in investing in the infrastructure that makes our city more liveable and productive.

TUESDAY, 10 NOVEMBER 2015