Over the next twelve months the Federal Labor Government’s ambitious capital works program will continue unabated, with the 2012-13 Budget delivering a further instalment of $102.6 million in funding to start, progress and complete a range of projects in Tasmania.
All up, we are providing an unprecedented $808.1 million from our six-year Nation Building Program (2008-09 to 2013-14) to rebuild and renew the State’s road and rail infrastructure.  Indeed, Federal Labor has almost doubled annual infrastructure spending per Tasmanian from $157 to $264.
As a result of this record funding, the following major projects will go from the drawing board to construction in the coming financial year:

• North East Freight Roads Package:
  
  
  
  • Replacing five bridges in the Mathinna and Evercreech area;
  
  
  • Widening the Tasman Highway and installing safety barriers between Derby and Gladstone Main Road;
  
  
  • Widening Gladstone Main Road and installing safety barriers between the Tasman Highway and the town of Herrick;
  
  
  • Widening and realigning the Bridport Main Road.
    – Federal contribution: $34 million.
  
  
  
  

• Replacing sleepers, rail and ballast on along key sections of the main North-South Rail Line including through the Rhyndaston area.
  – Federal contribution: $55.6 million.

At the other end of the construction cycle, we expect to complete work on the following projects by the end of June next year:

• Construction of the new Brighton Bypass.
  – Federal contribution: $186.2 million.

• Widening the Illawarra Main Road between Bishopsbourne Road and ‘Wickford’ as well as the section between ‘Forest Lodge’ and ‘Springfield’ and building a new roundabout at the intersection with Tannery Road.
  – Federal contribution: $3.1 million.

• Replacement of sleepers, rail and ballast along the Melba Flats to Burnie Line.
  – Federal contribution: $15.7 million.

• Replacement of sleepers, rail and ballast as well as upgrades to rail crossings along the Fingal Line.
  – Federal contribution: $5.7 million.

• Replacement of sleepers, rail and ballast along the Boyer Line.
  – Federal contribution:  $1.1 million.

The 2012-13 Budget also maintains funding for a range of initiatives which will make our local roads better and safer:

• $1.6 million to eliminate another 12 dangerous black spots on local roads;


• $38.7 million to assist councils across the State to maintain and upgrade their local roads.

From the outset Federal Labor’s mission has been to reverse the neglect we inherited and invest in the modern, well-planned infrastructure that will make working people’s lives easier, our businesses more competitive and the national economy stronger, not just for the next five years but for the next five decades.
Across the length and breadth of the State that’s precisely what we are doing.  Federal Labor is setting Tasmania up for the future with good infrastructure which will stand the test of time.
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