Opposition criticism of Federal Budget road funding rejected as false
Published Wednesday, 14 May, 2008 at 01:53 PM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Claims that the Federal Budget has shortchanged Queensland on road funding are false, Main Roads Minister Warren Pitt said today.
Mr Pitt said the National and Liberal Opposition parties had claimed that funding for Queensland had been reduced by $200 million.
“As usual, the National and Liberal parties are twisting the facts, and deliberately distorting the funding situation.
“Basically, they are comparing apples and oranges.
“What they are not up front about is that the reason why the funding they refer to isn’t in the budget is it was earmarked for building the Goodna Bypass.
“As everyone knows, including the Opposition Leader, Mr Springborg and the Liberal Leader, Mr. McArdle, that project has been scrapped.
“They know full well that the money that had been allocated for this project is not included in this year’s budget.
“Their claims are even more remarkable and misleading considering their parliamentary colleague, former Liberal leader Bruce Flegg, was also opposed to the Goodna Bypass.
“But that hasn’t stopped them from trying to portray the scrapping of this project as a $200 million reduction in funding for Queensland. It is nothing of the sort.
“I am confident that Queensland will be better off than it would have been under a Federal coalition government when its allocations for national road projects under the Auslink 2 program and the new $20 billion Building Australia Fund are taken into account.”
Mr Pitt said overall federal road funding for Queensland in 2008-09 would be $826 million, an increase of $60 million or 7.8 per cent on the previous year.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Mr Pitt said the National and Liberal Opposition parties had claimed that funding for Queensland had been reduced by $200 million.
“As usual, the National and Liberal parties are twisting the facts, and deliberately distorting the funding situation.
“Basically, they are comparing apples and oranges.
“What they are not up front about is that the reason why the funding they refer to isn’t in the budget is it was earmarked for building the Goodna Bypass.
“As everyone knows, including the Opposition Leader, Mr Springborg and the Liberal Leader, Mr. McArdle, that project has been scrapped.
“They know full well that the money that had been allocated for this project is not included in this year’s budget.
“Their claims are even more remarkable and misleading considering their parliamentary colleague, former Liberal leader Bruce Flegg, was also opposed to the Goodna Bypass.
“But that hasn’t stopped them from trying to portray the scrapping of this project as a $200 million reduction in funding for Queensland. It is nothing of the sort.
“I am confident that Queensland will be better off than it would have been under a Federal coalition government when its allocations for national road projects under the Auslink 2 program and the new $20 billion Building Australia Fund are taken into account.”
Mr Pitt said overall federal road funding for Queensland in 2008-09 would be $826 million, an increase of $60 million or 7.8 per cent on the previous year.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819