Investing in road, rail and water infrastructure

The Government will provide additional funding of $2.3 billion to road and rail projects, increasing AusLink — the Government's national land transport plan — to a $15 billion programme of investment from 2004‑05 to 2008‑09.

This funding will accelerate projects to improve the safety and capacity of key sections of the Hume ($800 million), Bruce ($220 million) and Pacific Highways ($160 million), three of our busiest passenger and freight routes.

The Government will also provide additional funding for the:

• Great Northern Highway WA ($234 million)

• Sturt Highway SA ($100 million)
• Eyre Highway WA ($75 million)
• East Tamar Highway TAS ($60 million)
• Tully flood works QLD ($48 million)
• Victoria Highway NT ($30 million)
• Great Eastern Highway WA ($14 million)

This is in addition to funding announced earlier this year for the:

• Western Highway VIC ($185 million)
• Calder Highway VIC ($82 million)
• Goulburn Valley Highway VIC ($23.5 million)

The Government will also provide a further $308 million to the Roads to Recovery Programme.

A $270 million capital injection will be provided to the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) to improve rail track quality on the North‑South rail corridor.

Improving water infrastructure

The Government will provide an additional $500 million to the Murray‑Darling Basin Commission. This funding will be used to undertake a range of new capital works and other initiatives to enhance environmental flows along the River Murray.