In a truly shameless performance Tony Abbott has today claimed that we have imposed “impossible” conditions on our offer of Federal funding for the WestConnex road project despite the fact they are the very same ones he had previously said were absolutely necessary.
This transparent, opportunistic backflip simply shows that Mr Abbott is more interested in playing politics than standing up for Sydney motorists and fixing the City’s long term infrastructure challenges.
In January, Mr Abbott promised that:

“…we’ll ensure there’s an expressway-standard road from the west to the city as part of our commitment [to WestConnex].  It has to be in there.

“In government, we’ll make sure these issues are addressed.”

DAILY TELEGRAPH – 30 JANUARY 2013

We agree with that proposition and since last year have been conveying similar views to the O’Farrell Government.  But now, less than two months later, Mr Abbott appears to be at odds with himself, claiming that any such requirement would make it “almost impossible” to deliver the project.
Only Federal Labor has a clear and workable position, namely that the proposed road needs to directly link people to the City and freight to the Port, which after all are the two goals it’s supposed to achieve.
Mr Abbott, on the other hand, doesn’t have an infrastructure plan for Sydney.  All he’s got are three word slogans and excuses.