A review of Australia’s $120 billion infrastructure pipeline is welcomed by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA).
The politicisation of Commonwealth infrastructure spending by successive governments has for many years short-changed motorists and failed to deliver the safety, economic, or mobility benefits they need and deserve, says AAA managing director Michael Bradley.
“The AAA will be very supportive of transport spending reforms that deliver greater transparency and accountability,” he adds.
“Both sides of politics have for too long been guilty of allowing political considerations, rather than data, to drive funding decisions.
“Efforts to avoid waste and inefficiency are appropriate and necessary, but the review must not become a cost-cutting exercise dressed up as an integrity initiative,” says Bradley.
“Given Australia’s appalling rates of road trauma; the current road maintenance back-log; and the failure of successive governments to reinvest fuel excise revenues contributed by motorists into essential land transport projects, now is not the time to reduce funding.
“The AAA agrees there are likely too many small projects currently being managed by the Commonwealth, but this does not mean all of these projects lack merit.”
Bradley says the AAA supports efforts to better clarify the respective funding and delivery roles of Commonwealth, state, and local governments.
And he hopes the announced review will initiate structural reforms capable of delivering aligned funding, delivery, and reporting obligations.
“The AAA notes no ‘Terms of Reference’ has been released but hopes the announced review will start to examine the factors that continue to prevent Australia from having a sustainable, data-driven, and well-understood system of prioritising, building, and paying for infrastructure.”
