The Government has this week confirmed that not one project is under construction nearly a year and a half after announcing its Urban Congestion Fund.
Prime Minister Morrison used the Urban Congestion Fund as a key campaigning opportunity fully aware no work was underway, and nothing would start for months or years.
Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge embarrassingly admitted to Parliament this week that construction has not started on any projects funded under the Urban Congestion Fund.
The Urban Congestion Fund was set up by former Prime Minister Turnbull in May 2018 and expanded in the lead up to this year’s election campaign.
Minister Tudge this week conceded his Government allocated only one percent of the Urban Congestion Fund’s budget in its first year.
The Minister also claimed construction would commence on some smaller projects before Christmas, but failed to name a single site.
The Final Budget Outcome released today confirmed the Government’s dismal record of over-promising and under-delivering on infrastructure.
In the 2018-19 financial year the Government spent $195 million less on infrastructure than it promised on Budget night 2018. Over their first five budgets this Government underspent on infrastructure every single year – short changing the Australian people by over $5 billion.
Infrastructure Australia predicts road congestion costs on our major cities will more than double by 2031.
With congestion rapidly rising, Australians cannot afford more of the same inaction from this third-term Government.