The Abbott Government has defended the NSW Government’s misuse of $4 million earmarked for safety improvements on the Pacific Highway on a new pedestrian bridge at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Transport Minister Warren Truss today appeared to have no problem with redirecting the money from the Pacific Highway.
Mr Truss talks endlessly about the Coalition’s claimed dedication to Pacific Highway safety, going so far as to falsely claim that his 2014 Budget contained extra money for the ongoing duplication of the road.
But today, when asked to put public safety ahead of his political mates in the NSW Government, Mr Truss dissolved into bluster and made no effort to condemn the move.
The Sydney Morning Herald recently used Freedom of Information laws to establish that the NSW Government had spent $25.9 million on the new pedestrian bridge, which is under construction.
The documents indicated that former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell promised the project in time for next February’s World Cup but allocated no money in his Budget.
As a result, the NSW Government used money earmarked for work on the Pacific Highway.
Just as the Pacific Highway was neglected by the former Howard Government, it is extraordinary that the National Party is defending its NSW Colleagues cutting funding.