A Federal Labor Government will upgrade the Bass Highway between Marrawah and Detention to improve road safety and increase growth in the region’s economy and tourism sector.
The Bass Highway is critical to Tasmania’s economy, carrying more than one million tonnes of freight each year, worth about $1 billion. It is also important for tourism at a time when visitors are increasingly exploring the state beyond Hobart and Launceston.
The Marrawah-to-Detention section has been identified as the most-dangerous part of the Bass Highway.
This is why Tasmanian State Labor Leader Rebecca White has committed $6 million to upgrade the road.
A Federal Labor Government will match that investment, taking the total commitment to repairing the Highway to $12 million.
Australian governments must work together to upgrade our railways, roads, ports and other infrastructure to drive economic growth and job creation.
This is particularly important in regional areas.
The former Federal Labor Government invested heavily in infrastructure in Tasmania, increasing investment from $157 per Tasmanian to $264 during our six years in office.
By contrast the Federal Coalition Government has failed to commence a single new major infrastructure project in Tasmania in nearly five years in office.
And the situation is about to get worse with Federal infrastructure grants to Tasmania set to fall from $174 million in 2017-18 to $62 million in 2020-21.
The next Federal Labor Government will provide Tasmania with the infrastructure investment it deserves and requires to drive sustained economic growth.

MONDAY, 26 FEBRUARY, 2018