This Month
- Exclusive
- Federal budget
King flags road and rail blowouts amid ‘severe’ budget constraints
Despite parochial outrage about road and rail funding, WA and NSW have signed up to Labor’s funding deal, though the Infrastructure Minister has flagged more cost blowouts are coming.
- Ronald Mizen
July
RBC hitches a ride on NSW’s toll roads shake-up
In accepting the gig, RBC is also indirectly squaring off against ASX-listed toll roads giant Transurban, which owns stakes in 11 of Sydney’s 13 toll roads.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
May
Labor adds $16.5b road and rail projects
The government committed $16.5 billion to road and rail projects, including $4.1 billion for 65 new developments – just 12 of which were revealed in the budget.
- Ronald Mizen
February
Suitors for Melbourne’s EastLink toll road asked to lob revised bids
It is yet another pitstop for the auction, which has been going for nearly 12 months.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
January
KKR lobs bid for Melbourne toll road EastLink, bankers up
The largest roster of advisers remains manacled to Transurban, suggesting the Michelle Jablko-led toll road operator might still be a contender.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
December 2023
Cost of Victoria’s ‘missing link’ toll road blows out by $10b
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has blamed the cost blowout for the North East Link on inflationary shocks from the war in Ukraine and the pandemic.
- Gus McCubbing
November 2023
King swings the axe on new road and rail to save existing projects
Infrastructure Minister Catherine King will provide an extra $6.2 billion to cover cost blowouts on 10 projects, but it will come at the cost of other projects.
- Ronald Mizen
Labor to force states to pay more for infrastructure projects
The move, to be announced on Tuesday, follows a review which found some projects did “not demonstrate merit” and lacked strategic rationale.
- Ronald Mizen
KKR teams up with Skip Capital for Queensland Airports; vets EastLink
It’s pedal to the metal for KKR’s dealmakers, who are chasing another local infrastructure asset, or two, to park in their portfolio.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
How roads and railways became tricky terrain for Labor
About $13 billion is due to go out the door for several hundred upgrades this financial year with more spending planned. But not all projects will survive.
- Ronald Mizen
October 2023
France’s Vinci test drives banks for EastLink tilt; Transurban digs in
Paris-headquartered concessions player Vinci Group has begun meeting with investment banks for a potential buy-side mandate.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
EastLink auction speeds past ACCC pit stop; data room set to open
Prospective buyers were offered the toll road’s traffic data upon signing the confidentiality agreements.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
September 2023
Abertis lines up bankers for EastLink tilt after Transurban knock back
Bad news for the fifty-strong team advising the ASX-listed infrastructure giant after the competition regulator said it would oppose any acquisition.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
June 2023
Regulator to probe toll road operator’s ‘incumbency advantage’
The ACCC will examine whether Transurban is crowding out potential competitors given its access to cheaper funding and traffic data.
- Ayesha de Kretser
January 2023
Why Transurban should gobble up EastLink stake
It would need EastLink’s investors to approve any acquisition, but is keen to give it a crack.
- Anthony Macdonald, Sarah Thompson and Kanika Sood
RBC gets keys to EastLink review, sale prep begins
RBC Capital Markets will advise EastLink toll road’s owners on their exit options after winning a pitching battle between a handful of local investment banking teams.
- Anthony Macdonald, Sarah Thompson and Kanika Sood
December 2022
Lawyers appointed for ConnectEast review, bankers still pitching
Law firm Allens is first in the door as a few of tollroad owner ConnectEast’s investors consider their options.
- Anthony Macdonald, Sarah Thompson and Kanika Sood
March 2021
Low-tech tax for high-tech electric cars
A new Victorian distance charge for electric cars will be collected manually, with drivers taking a photo of their odometer and paying by invoices.
- Tom Burton
December 2020
Pay as you drive and flexible fares key to busting congestion
Infrastructure Victoria says it's time for a radical rethink on how the state charges for using its transport network in a 30-year plan released on Wednesday.
- Patrick Durkin
July 2020
Zoom won't do for West Gate Tunnel soil talks
Melbourne communities opposed to taking spoil from Transurban's $6.7bn Melbourne motorway project want information on the health and environmental risks.
- Updated
- Jenny Wiggins