{"id":11374,"date":"2021-05-12T01:51:45","date_gmt":"2021-05-12T01:51:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/?p=11374"},"modified":"2021-05-12T01:51:45","modified_gmt":"2021-05-12T01:51:45","slug":"infrastructure-investment-securing-australias-economic-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.16news.com.au\/index.php\/2021\/05\/12\/infrastructure-investment-securing-australias-economic-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"Infrastructure investment securing Australia\u2019s economic recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nThe Morrison-McCormack Government is securing Australia\u2019s recovery with a record investment in infrastructure as part of the 2021-22 Budget, which will support and secure jobs, drive growth and help rebuild Australia\u2019s economy from the COVID-19 pandemic.
\nThis $110 billion, 10-year infrastructure pipeline forms part of our Economic Recovery Plan and will secure Australia\u2019s world-leading economic recovery by delivering nation-building infrastructure projects, water security to inland Australia, meeting our national freight challenge and getting Australians home sooner and safer.
\nThis includes an additional $15.2 billion in new commitments to infrastructure projects through the 2021-22 Budget, supporting an estimated 30,000 jobs across Australia.
\nDELIVERING THE NATION-BUILDING PROJECTS AUSTRALIA NEEDS<\/strong>
\nAs part of our plan to secure Australia\u2019s recovery, the Government is focusing on new commitments in major infrastructure projects right across the country, including:<\/p>\n
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  • $2.0 billion for\u00a0Great Western Highway Upgrade – Katoomba to Lithgow –\u00a0<\/strong>Construction of East and West Sections<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>in New South Wales;<\/li>\n
  • $2.0 billion investment to deliver a new\u00a0Melbourne Intermodal Terminal<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • $400.0 million for\u00a0Bruce Highway Additional Funding\u00a0<\/strong>in Queensland;<\/li>\n
  • $237.5 million for\u00a0METRONET:\u00a0<\/strong>Hamilton Street \/ Wharf Street Grade Separations and Elevation of Associated Stations\u00a0<\/strong>in Western Australia;<\/li>\n
  • $161.6 million for the\u00a0Truro Bypass<\/strong>\u00a0in South Australia;<\/li>\n
  • $150.0 million for\u00a0National Network Highway Upgrades (Phase 2)\u00a0<\/strong>in the Northern Territory;<\/li>\n
  • $80.0 million for\u00a0Bass Highway Safety and Freight Efficiency Upgrades\u00a0<\/strong>in Tasmania; and<\/li>\n
  • $26.5 million for\u00a0William Hovell Drive Duplication<\/strong>\u00a0in the Australian Capital Territory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This is in addition to the Government\u2019s significant existing investment in projects that will define the success of local communities for years to come, including the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, due to open in 2026, Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport and the much-needed Melbourne Airport Rail Link.
    \nMore than 220 major Australian Government funded projects are currently under construction. These projects are expected to support around 100,000 jobs during their construction lives.
    \nThe Government will also commit up to $2.0 billion to deliver a new Intermodal Freight Terminal in Melbourne. This will support both the Victorian and national freight networks, creating up to 1,350 jobs during peak construction and a further 550 jobs during peak operation.
    \nAdditional capacity delivered by the intermodal terminal is required to meet the future freight needs of Victoria and Australia\u2019s domestic and international supply chains, as well as realising the full benefits of Inland Rail.
    \nThis is part of the Government\u2019s commitment to funding transformational infrastructure to increase the productivity, efficiency and capacity of the national freight network. This investment will also support the Australian Government’s National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy.
    \nLIFE-SAVING ROAD SAFETY INVESTMENT<\/strong>
    \nRoad crashes cost the national economy approximately $30 billion a year, but this figure is far outstripped by the immeasurable suffering of families impacted by road deaths and serious injuries.
    \nThe Budget backs an additional $1.0 billion for the now $3.0 billion\u00a0Road Safety Program.\u00a0<\/strong>With work having commenced in January 2021, almost $1.0 billion for approximately 700 projects has been approved under Tranche 1 of the program Future tranches will continue installing lifesaving road safety upgrades to prevent fatal and serious crashes across all states and territories. This funding is estimated to support around 4,500 jobs, taking the total jobs supported across the nation by the Road Safety Program to around 13,500.
    \nThe Office of Road Safety will continue to play a significant role in improving road safety in Australia and the Budget will provide $5.1 million of new funding over four years to support this important work.
    \nLOCAL JOBS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY
    \n<\/strong>
    \nThe Budget will provide an additional $1.0 billion for the highly successful, now $2.5 billion\u00a0Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program,\u00a0<\/strong>to deliver the local projects that matter to communities, while stimulating economies across the nation. This funding is estimated to support around 3,500 jobs, taking the total jobs supported across the nation by the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program to around 9,000.
    \nA further $40 million over two years is being invested in South Australian Local Roads Supplementary Funding, which will improve road safety and help ensure a lower road toll on local roads in South Australia.
    \nAn additional $28.2 million is also being provided to extend the Stronger Communities Programme, which provides grants of between $2,500 and $20,000 across the country to community organisations and local governments for small capital projects that deliver social benefits for local communities.
    \nBUILDING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL FUTURE<\/strong>
    \nThe Government is continuing to deliver on a National Water Grid to help improve water security in our regions. The 2021\u201322 Budget invests up to a further $258.0 million, including up to $160 million through the National Water Grid Connections pathway, from the $3.5 billion National Water Grid Fund towards the construction of new and augmented water infrastructure projects, building a more resilient and secure Australia.
    \nThe Government\u2019s ongoing investment in water infrastructure builds on the eight construction projects already completed since our establishment of the National Water Grid Authority in late 2019 and brings the total number of construction projects in the investment pipeline to 30.
    \nThe new and augmented construction projects being funded in partnership with states include:<\/p>\n