Federal Budget slammed as ‘misleading, untimely and inauspicious deal for SA’ by infrastructure groups

THE Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to $1.8 billion in new major infrastructure projects in South Australia after industry groups slammed the budget announcement as “misleading”.

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THE Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to $1.8 billion in new major infrastructure projects in South Australia after industry groups slammed the budget announcement as “misleading”.

Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher defended a series of blank tables in budget papers, which on Wednesday prompted industry groups to question the commitment to major projects.

“The reason future projects on the North-South Corridor are yet to be identified is because the previous State Labor Government failed to do the necessary planning work,’’ he said.

The State Government said it had “a fair bit of work” to do to present completed business cases.

SA Freight Council executive officer Evan Knapp said the timing commitment for Adelaide’s vital north-south corridor had been abandoned.

The state’s four major infrastructure groups took the unusual step of condemning the budget, which had until Wednesday been praised nationally with funding in SA mainly for the Adelaide north-south corridor.

In a written statement, the SA Chamber of Mines and Energy, SA Freight Council, RAA and Civil Contractors Federation SA joined forces to attack a lack of detail over funding commitments.

Treasurer Rob Lucas was forced to step in and defend the Coalition government, saying the questions arising were the fault of the previous Labor state government for not putting specific business cases to Canberra.

“Until you’ve actually completed the business case, it’s gone through the appropriate processes there’s still a fair bit of work that the new government’s going to have to do,’’ he said.

“The former government sadly hadn’t done the work in relation to those particular projects.”

Confusion was created when printed budget papers showed empty tables in which spending for each year over the next four years was left blank.

Opposition Treasury spokesman Stephen Mulligan used the lack of detail to attack the State Government in Parliament.

An artist’s impression of proposed overpass on the corner of Regency Road and South Road. Picture supplied by State Government.

The infrastructure groups followed his lead, saying:

SPECIFIC projects along the north-south corridor had not been identified.

FUNDING for Port Augusta’s Joy Baluch Bridge duplication had been delayed.

RAIL electrification from Salisbury to Gawler had been “short-changed”.

THE Biosecurity Imports Levy would apply a $10.02 impost for each sea freight container that lands in Australia, and $1 per tonne for bulk imports.

NOT enough of the $3.5 billion Roads of Strategic Importance program funding had been given to SA; with the state receiving just $3.7 million, less than 1 per cent of the funds allocated.

The Joy Baluch Bridge in Port Augusta was due for duplication works. Picture Nathan Davies

Freight Council executive officer Evan Knapp said: “This year’s Federal Budget is all smoke and mirrors and delivers none of the promise of the pre-budget announcements made on Monday’’.

RAA senior manager of road safety Charles Mountain said delays to the Joy Baluch Bridge would have “consequent impacts on improving this vital corridor to the north of the state”.

The joint statement also comments: “Rail electrification from Salisbury to Gawler has also been short-changed, with only $50 million of the $220 million required accounted for.”

The group has also complained that despite a growing national road death toll, black spot funding has been cut from $100 million nationally in 2017/18 to $60 million in 2020/21 and beyond.