TONY ABBOTT’S MAKING THINGS UP… AGAIN
Tony Abbott is again trying to distort Federal Labor’s record and deceive people into believing black is white, this time with respect to infrastructure.
Today Mr Abbott claimed:
“For far too we have had almost an infrastructure strike from state and national Labor governments.”
DOORSTOP (MOUNT WAVERLEY) – 5 APRIL 2013
That’s just not true.
After a decade of neglect and inaction, total investment in the nation’s road, rail, energy, and water infrastructure has surged by
42 per cent over the last five years, hitting a record of
more than $51 billion a year.
This rise is a direct result of the actions taken by Federal Labor. As well as establishing
Infrastructure Australia, we’ve doubled the roads budget, lifted spending on rail tenfold, and committed more to urban public transport than all previous governments since Federation combined.
All up, we’ve increased the annual infrastructure budget from
$141 to
$269 per person.
For example, in Melbourne where Mr Abbott made his laughable comments today, work is currently underway on the nation’s biggest public transport project, the Regional Rail Link. This project has only been made possible thanks to the $3.225 billion in funding being provided by this Federal Labor Government.
So on top more jobs, higher wages, lower taxes, falling interest rates, and a triple-A credit rating, Federal Labor is also delivered an unprecedented investment in the nation’s vital infrastructure.
In contrast Mr Abbott was a senior minister in a government (1996-2007) which slashed road funding by $2 billion, starved rail of much-needed investment and refused to commit even one dollar to urban public transport. In fact under the former Howard Government infrastructure spending hit a record low.
And today, Mr Abbott has again confirmed that if elected he would not provide any Federal money to help fix the passenger rail infrastructure in our cities.
Tony Abbott ignores the facts, thumbs his nose at reality and unlike Federal Labor, has no plan for our nation’s infrastructure. All Mr Abbott’s got is more deceit and relentless negativity, proving yet again he’s not fit to be Prime Minister.