Federal Infrastructure Investment in NSW: The Facts

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell clearly subscribes to the old adage that if you repeat something often enough people will eventually believe it, even if the statement is completely untrue.

Once again, the Premier has today falsely claimed that NSW isn’t getting its “fair share” of Federal infrastructure funding.  The fact is nothing could be further from the truth.

Under this Federal Labor Government, NSW is getting its share of Federal infrastructure funding, with one dollar in three currently being invested in modernising the State’s road and rail networks.  That’s $11.6 billion over the life of our current six year Nation Building Program.

What’s more, compared to the former Howard Government we’ve more than doubled infrastructure investment in the State from $132 to $265 per person.

When it comes to Sydney, Federal Labor has already significantly increased funding for projects that will help tackle congestion and make the City work better.  Indeed, so far we have committed $3.7 billion – or more than ten times what the former Howard Government spent during its entire twelve years in office.

Premier O’Farrell has clearly forgotten that he signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor Upgrade with myself late last year, a project to which we are contributing $840 million.

With respect to the document released yesterday by Infrastructure NSW, I have already said it’s an important piece of work and both Nick Greiner and Paul Broad should be congratulated on the rigorous, objective job they have done.

It’s just a pity the NSW Premier hasn’t adopted the same mature and constructive approach as Infrastructure NSW.  Instead, he seems determined to play politics at every turn.

Infrastructure Australia will now assess the report and provide us with advice.