Speeches: 2005
6th National Local Roads and Transport Congress
See also: Presentations and speeches for post-Congress links.
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Plenary address
The Hon John Anderson MP
Minister for Transport and Regional Services
4 July 2005, Launceston, Tasmania
Note: Speech as tabled
Firstly, may I thank Councillor Paul Bell for that warm and generous introduction.
I am very pleased to have been asked to address the Local Roads Congress 2005. This years Congress, with the theme: Unifying Local Government's Transport Agenda, will - I am sure - provide thought provoking debate on a range of road transport issues pertinent to Australian local government,
Today, I would like to give focus to AusLink- the most important change to the national land transport agenda in the past 30 years - and its implications for the future of transport infrastructure in Australia.
I would also like to discuss Roads to Recovery, a program of particular importance to local government, and an avenue through which federal-local government cooperation is making a significant difference to our important local road networks.
Auslink
It is now twelve months since I launched AusLink - the Australian Government's integrated National Land Transport Plan.
AusLink is much more than simply another budging of the Commonwealth road funding program; it is the way forward for land transport in Australia.
For the first time, a five-year National Plan with a 20-year planning horizon will guide and underpin Australian Government transport infrastructure funding. This extended horizon provides the longer time frames and certainty to ensure strategic investment,
AusLink represents a significant reform agenda, targeted at;
- Intermodal investment
- Better infrastructure planning
- Increased funding by governments and the private sector
- Better project evaluation and selection; and
- Cooperative planning between governments.
Although levels of government across Australia do not always see eye to eye on how best to deal with the provision of transport infrastructure to overcome our 'tyranny of distance', I think it is fair to say that the arrangements we have put in place under AusLink between levels of government. are set to meet this challenge.
At the meeting of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) last month, attended by the Prime Minister and the state and territory premiers, they restated their commitment to the national multi-modal and. long-term planning processes being established under the AusLink initiative - indeed, recommending that this process be hastened.
This was, for COAG, a recognition of the findings of the high-level 'Exports and Infrastructure Taskforce', which concluded that although Australia does not currently face serious or widespread supply chain infrastructure bottlenecks, it may do so in. the next decade unless key infrastructure provision occurs. For those of us involved in the development of AusLink this came as no surprise. We also know that the planning and prioritising of nationally significant infrastructure is key to dealing with this challenge.
The AusLink process coupled with targeted regulatory reforms driven by the National Transport Commission can ensure the timely provision of key transport infrastructure and the unproved regulatory structures that are crucial ingredients to success. Infrastructure development and improved regulation occur in the context of increasing levels of sophistication and innovation through the uptake of new technologies. It is therefore important that we involve all stakeholders, including the private sector, who can bring their own expertise to infrastructure provision.
The decisions we make now on how AusLink will work, and in developing the next AusLink investment program will have a major influence on Australia's growth and economic competitiveness for the next 30 years.
Our major road and rail links, and their connections to the global economy via major ports and airports, are vital enablers of wealth creation. Their performance is an issue of critical national importance.
In working to achieve the successful. implementation of AusLink, the Australian Government, and the Departmental of Transport and Regional Services, has focussed its attention on four main areas:
- investment in priority AusLink projects; s
- AusLink legislation;
- Bilateral agreements; and
- corridor strategies.
AusLink Investment Program
The Australian Government has backed up its AusLink reform with a total investment package of $12.5 billion over five years to improve the performance of Australia's critically important land transport system, so that it can start to meet future transport challenges.
The major focus of the AusLink investment will be the AusLink Network, targeting the highest priority projects that provide economic and social benefits from a national perspective.
The $12.5 billion in Australian Government funding that we have made available to 2008-09 will provide for $8.1 billion investment for the AusLink Network - of which more than $6.5 billion is ear-marked for roads and about $1.8 billion for rail; $180 million for the National Black Spot program; and an unprecedented funding package of $4.1 billion targeted specifically at local road investment, consisting of $1.6 billion for Roads to Recovery; and $2.5 billion in financial assistance grants for roads to local government.
I will discuss Roads to Recovery in more detail shortly.
To support this investment program, we have - with the states - developed a comprehensive and pioneering approach to the identification and analysis of transport projects.
The National Guidelines for Transport System Management were endorsed by Transport Ministers in November 2004 and we will be phasing them into the AusLink program over the next few years. They are truly a significant reform, and 1 encourage all jurisdictions to continue to facilitate their introduction.
Legislation
The AusLink legislation provides the legal basis for the operation of the AusLink investment program, setting out the basis for approval of projects and funding for the various program funding categories.
The AusLink Bills were passed unchanged by the House of Representatives in February 2005 and the Senate on 16 June. We expect that the new legislative arrangements will be proclaimed and come into effect shortly.
The Bills reflect the very different way in which AusLink will operate, and - for the first time -- bring together into one Act funding arrangements for road, rail, technology, and research and development. As well as funding arrangements for Black Spot projects and the Roads to Recovery Program.
Importantly, the AusLink Act 2005, by incorporating Roads to Recovery, has the effect of extending this program for a further four years, following the recent expiry of the Roads to Recovery Act 2000, on 30 June this year.
Bilateral Agreements
DOTARS has been engaged in a series of positive and constructive discussions with state and territory governments to develop bilateral funding agreements.
These partnership agreements will, when signed, underpin the AusLink implementation process, and ensure that Australian Government funding for key projects is delivered.
Bilateral agreements will underpin;
- the agreed responsibilities of the Australian and state and territory governments for AusLink's implementation;
- the funding contribution that the Australian Government and, where relevant, the respective state and territory government will make to projects;
- conditions attached to the Australian Government's funding for AusLink projects; and
- the way in which the governments and their agencies will work together in assessing future longer term investment needs on the AusLink Network and in developing and prioritising projects to address those needs.
Bilateral agreements were signed with Victoria on 27 May and with South Australia on 24 June, I congratulate all those involved in ensuring the successful signing of these landmark funding agreements.
My Department is continuing to advance negotiations with other jurisdictions, they will all be in place soon.
Corridor strategies
The core element of the AusLink approach to future infrastructure planning is the joint, federal-state, development of long-term corridor strategies across the National Network,
Corridor strategies will provide the basis for identifying shared government priorities and needs for each of the twenty-four corridors on the AusLink Network.
The development of corridor strategies has begun, with the initial focus on the development of four 'pilot strategies.' These are.,
- Brisbane - Cairns
- Sydney - Melbourne
- Perth - Adelaide
- Adelaide Urban.
It is my expectation that the four pilot strategies will be completed by the end of this year, and that the next tranche of corridor strategies will commence within the next few months.
Corridor strategy development will be an iterative process. I expect they will evolve as new information and improved planning directions develop.
As part the corridor strategy process we are keen to ensure effective engagement of key external stakeholders in the developmentt of corridor strategies and future planning for the AusLink National Network.
We kicked off consultation with a National Stakeholder Forum on 28 April, where my Department, state jurisdictions, and key national stakeholders agreed on ongoing consultative arrangements. Local government was represented at this forum by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).
On going consultation will be targeted to major stakeholders that can contribute significant information on national transport demands and future infrastructure needs.
Through the corridor studies we are fulfilling our intention - set out in the AusLink White Paper - to ensure that the planning framework extends from one end of the supply chain to the other.
With this in mind, I believe it is now time for the Australian Government to build on the success of our waterfront reforms and extend AusLink to include the effective planning of Australia's major export ports.
Better transport planning under AusLink should not end at the poet gates but rather commercial enterprises like major export ports should be an integral part of coordinated forward planning and timely investment in infrastructure.
At last months COAG meeting it was proposed to extend the scope of AusLink corridor strategies - already covering land transport access to ports - to cover broader transport planning and coordination issues relating to port infrastructure and associated shipping channel development. The objective of this extension is to improve the performance, planning and development of the entire transport corridor involving; all of the major complementary elements that contribute to export-related infrastructure performance.
Roads to Recovery
In March 2000, I attended the first National Local Roads Congresses in Moree, in north western NSW. A loud, clear message was put to me on that occasion that we needed to do more to assist local government to maintain and upgrade local roads, especially in rural Australia.
We are a Government that listens and in November that year, I was able to announce that the government had established the Roads to Recovery Program to provide $1.2 billion over the period to 30 June 2005 to local government for its roads. Now I can announce that virtually all of that money has been paid to councils all over Australia.
The Australian Government's Roads to Recovery program has been a success story with its simple administrative process, local decision making and direct payments to councils.
This was verified when the program was reviewed by a joint team from my Department and ALGA in 2003. It found that the money had been well used but that there was much more to be done. Consequently, in January 2004, I was able to announce that the Program would be extended for a further four years. This period commenced. on I July.
Australia's farm exports all begin their journey on local roads, they are the other end of the supply chain to our ports. The government is spending $1.65 billion to extend the Roads to Recovery program, which will enable local councils to fund essential maintenance and upgrades to these roads. Some 40% of the money went toward improved transport efficiency and economic development.
I will give you a few short examples of how Roads to Recovery has helped primary sector exports:
- not far from here, the Central Highlands Council used its money to upgrade roads for the haulage of logs to export wood chipping plants
- the Tara Shire in Queensland used its funds to resheet arterial roads serving the beef, sheep, grain and cotton industries
- the Lower Eyre Peninsula Shire in SA sealed roads used for export grain
- the Mareeba Shire in Queensland upgraded a river crossing to improve access to important grazing areas enabling produce to move for several more months every year.
From the point of view of our overseas customers, it's irrelevant whether their shipment of Australian products is delayed because of the poor condition of a bridge in regional Australia or because of delays on the AusLink National Network. We have to invest in both.
Conclusion
The provision of adequate transport infrastructure is essential to ensuring the success of Australia's national and regional economies, and encouraging social development, All levels of governu2ent have an important role to play in ensuring our transport future, and conferences such as this are essential to take forward the debate and share information and ideas.
Thank you.
The Hon John Anderson MP
Minister for Transport and Regional Services
4 July 2005
Launceston, Tasmania
