Traffic program poured billions into Coalition seats before election

Analysis has revealed 83 per cent of cash doled out under an Urban Congestion Fund went to Coalition-held seats and those targeted by the Government in the lead up to the May election.

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The federal government poured billions of dollars in infrastructure cash into Coalition-held seats before the last federal election.

The $4 billion Urban Congestion Fund was designed to reduce traffic gridlock and remove bottlenecks that slow down commuters.

But an analysis of more than 160 projects funded under the scheme reveals 144 projects — 83 per cent — were located on roads in Coalition or marginal Labor seats that the government thought it could win.

In NSW, more than 76 per cent of the $541 million allocated went to projects in Liberal-held seats or marginal Labor electorates.

Of 160 projects funded under the scheme, 83 per cent were located for roads in Coalition or marginal Labor seats that the government thought it could win.

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In Western Sydney, the Coalition couldn’t find any traffic bottlenecks to fix in the safe Labor electorates of Blaxland, Chifley, Fowler, Greenway, Parramatta, Werriwa and Watson.

But apparently there were far more serious problems in the battleground seat of Lindsay — which it won — with the Penrith area picking up four projects worth $118.5 million.

Six projects totalling more than $80 million were also funded in the Liberal-held marginal seat of Banks and $50 million was spent in the seat of Warringah.

In an echo of the so-called “Sports Rorts” scandal that saw Bridget McKenzie forced to step down as a minister, while more than 20 urban seats held by Labor missed out entirely, not one Liberal-held marginal city seat missed out.

Construction has started on just four projects, with 70 to start this year.

Labor’s infrastructure spokeswoman Catherine King accused the government of using billions for its “own political purposes. Picture: AAP

However, unlike sporting grants, applications are not subject to a competitive grants process.

Instead state governments, local councils and federal MPs can make representations to the government for funding. It is not known how many local and state governments requested funding in Labor seats but the government said only one Labor MP — Graham Perrett from the marginal seat of Moreton — asked for cash.

A spokesman for Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said two-thirds of the projects were election commitments and “the Australian people decided upon them”.

“Federal Labor made election promises for close to 60 urban projects, all of which to our knowledge were in Labor or target seats.”

But Labor’s infrastructure spokeswoman Catherine King accused the government of using billions for its “own political purposes”.

“Does Scott Morrison really think traffic congestion stops when cars move onto streets in Labor seats?”