PM Scott Morrison says ‘money is in the budget’ for fast rail and Pacific Highway upgrade at Wyong

Prime Minister Scott Morrison was in Wyong today assuring locals the “money was in the budget” for the Pacific Highway upgrade and fast rail project between Tuggerah and Wyong.

“Money is in the budget, it’s all there. We want to get them done.”

Prime Minster Scott Morrison was in Wyong on Thursday morning to assure locals that the recently budget announcements of the Pacific Highway and fast rail project focusing on a 10km section between Tuggerah and Wyong will be done.

It comes after a senate budget committee estimate hearing revealed there is no federal money allocated for the fast rail upgrade between Tuggerah and Wyong for at least two years while the long-awaited Pacific Highway upgrade won’t see a Commonwealth cent for more than three years.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Wyong reiterate the fast rail and Pacific Highway upgrade commitment in the federal budget.

“I am standing right here making that commitment and it’s in the black and white of the federal budget,” Mr Morrison said.

“What people in Wyong can be very comfortable about is our commitment on these projects.”

He broke down the three Central Coast projects which have been allocated $1.4b in the budget.

■ Upgrade of the Central Highway from Wamberal to Bateau Bay to the value of $51.2m from the federal budget. The State Government has committed $387m to this project.

“That project will get underway this year,” Mr Morrison said. “ This is an important part of clearing bottlenecks along the Central Coast.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Wyong.

■ Wyong Town Centre upgrade of the Pacific Highway – $336m, 80 per cent of funding, with $84m from the State Government.

“We have been looking to do this for some time. This is a real improvement for the Wyong Town Centre,” Mr Morrison said.

“The money is in the budget. it’s all there. Here at Wyong what we are seeing is a town becoming a hub where people are not driving through, they are staying. This will be an important hub along the Central Coast and a town that continues to grow and prosper as a result of the growth we are seeing in the Central Coast region.”

Regional Transport and Roads Minister Sam Farraway outlined some of the key works in the Pacific Highway upgrade.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the highway upgrade is “legacy building infrastructure”.

“We are going to see the old bridge removed, we are going to see new twin bridges and overpassed,” he said. “We are going to see the duplication of the highway, we are going to see a new interchange at the station. We are going to see a new commuter carpark.”

■ Fast rail with $1b committed for the 10km section of rail between Wyong and Tuggerah.

“This project provides for overtaking lanes effectively on our rail network so the freight and the fast trains going to Newcastle don’t disrupt the more regular services that are coming through the Central Coast,” Mr Morrison said.

“This is a real project, there is $1b in real money for a real project that will really happen.

“We are investing in this specific part of this rail network. It is a key choke point. It’s real, it’s achievable, it will happen. It’s not on the never never. It’s been carefully worked through and well designed.”

Mr Farraway said the $1b commitment to fast rain will compliment the State Government’s $298m which has been already committed.

Earlier – April 4 2022

A senate budget committee estimate hearing has revealed there is no federal money allocated for the fast rail upgrade between Tuggerah and Wyong for at least two years while the long-awaited Pacific Highway upgrade won’t see a Commonwealth cent for more than three years.

The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee heard last week both projects are beholden to the state government stumping up $1 billion and $84 million, respectively, with construction not set to begin for at least two and a half years.

The senate committee heard of the $1 billion announced in last week’s federal budget for the fast rail upgrade between Tuggerah and Wyong, which would see the duplication of about 10km of electric train line, station upgrades and new platforms, no money would be allocated until the 2024-25 financial year.

Not quite `all aboard’ — federal fast rail funding will not kick in until 2024-25.

It was further revealed the federal government planned to spend just $10 million in that financial year on more planning, before allocating $50 million the following year and $940 million from 2026-27 onwards.

However the committee heard there was no hard and fast agreement for the NSW Government to provide its matching $1 billion to make the $2 billion project a reality.

“So we’ve got to hope they (the NSW government) put a big chunk in early because you’re not putting anything (in) until 2026-27 by which time we’ll be past the next federal election?” Labor Senator Deb O’Neill asked the hearing.

It was a similar story for the Pacific Highway upgrade through Wyong which will not see any Commonwealth funding for the next three financial years despite Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher announcing last month “major construction’ would begin by 2024.

Federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher said construction would begin in 2024, ambitious given the Commonwealth will not start funding the project until 2025.

The senate committee heard the federal government had committed $336 million to the project but still had not received any confirmation the NSW Government had committed its $84 million to cover the full $420 million cost of the project.

The committee heard the federal government would not start contributing to the cost of the project until 2025-26 when it planned to chip in $112 million, each year for three years.

“So for the next three years the people on the Central Coast and the seat of Dobell will only have an announcement as their only consolation, they won’t have a road and there won’t be a cent spent?” Ms O’Neill asked the committee.

“An announcement is not a road, and it is not a bridge over Wyong River and it doesn’t solve the height underneath.”

Don’t get too excited, federal funding for the Pacific Highway will not start until 2024-25.

Meanwhile the state government has given no indication it plans to meet any of the funding requirements imposed by its federal counterpart.

The NSW State Government budget set aside $48.9 million for Central Coast road projects this financial year including Pacific Highway upgrades at Lisarow, Forresters Beach and further planning for the highway upgrade through Wyong.

These projects will also vie for a share of $124.9 million allocated to coast road infrastructure projects over the next four years.

However a spokeswoman for Terrigal State Liberal MP Adam Crouch’s office said the state government had committed $84 million for the highway upgrade.

The state government’s budget also only allocated $298 million over the next four years for its contribution towards fast rail planning for all the rail corridors between Sydney, Canberra, Newcastle and the Central West.