The Federal Government has agreed to provide an initial instalment of up to $25 million to advance the Westconnex project.
This funding was foreshadowed in the 2012 Federal Budget and will assist the NSW Government to undertake detailed planning on the project as well as develop a business case and identify a process for bringing it to market.
Completion of this work will give both governments the information they need to make informed funding decisions.
It's clear from the briefing I've received from Infrastructure NSW that more work needs to be done in order to make sure the project achieves the aim of reducing congestion as well as achieving sustainable urban development objectives.
This latest commitment is but the last investment from this Federal Labor Government in modernising and extending Sydney's vital transport infrastructure, which also includes:

• $840 million for the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor Upgrade (underway);


• $172 million for the Port Botany rail improvements (underway);


• Construction of a new intermodal at Moorebank (in planning);


• $980 million for the construction of the Southern Sydney Freight Line (completed);


• $93 million to widen the F5 at Campbelltown (completed);


• $300 million to upgrade the Great Western Highway (underway);


• $8.5 million to begin planning for the installation of an electronic freeway management system along the full length of the M4 Motorway (underway).

In addition, we are contributing $1.5 billion towards the construction of the new $1.7 billion Hunter Expressway to the City's north.