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As Minister for Infrastructure and Trans-
port I’m determined to build the type of
infrastructure our kids and grandkids will
thank us for. I’m working with other lev-
els of government and the private sector
to deliver the Federal Government’s $50
billion infrastructure investment pro-
gramme. This is the road, rail, shipping
and aviation infrastructure that will sup-
port Australian jobs, industries and qual-
ity of life for decades to come.
The Federal Government understands
that world class infrastructure is essen-
tial if we want to boost Australia’s produc-
tivity and improve the living standards of
all Australians—in our major cities and
our regions.
Investing in infrastructure now is vital
if we are to keep up with increased de-
mand - between 2010 and 2030, our do-
mestic freight task is expected to grow
by 80 per cent and air passenger move-
ments will increase to 280 million pas-
sengers per year. By 2050, Australia’s
population is forecast to jump to close
to 38 million and Sydney and Melbourne
will both have populations of around
eight million people.
These figures show that we are facing
challenges on a couple of fronts – com-
bating urban congestion while boosting
our supply chain productivity.
A number of current projects will ad-
dress these twin challenges, including
the Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail,
which will play a key role in moving freight
along the east coast.
It’s a simple concept to grasp—a 1,700
kilometre freight rail connection be-
tween Melbourne and Brisbane that of-
fers an alternative to the existing coastal
route and bypasses the congested Syd-
ney area.
It will connect our regions to our ports,
reduce congestion in our cities and make
our roads safer—and we can build it with-
in a decade. The project is currently in
the second phase of market testing, two
sections are now with the Queensland
Coordinator General for consideration
and extensive community consultation is
underway on the ground in Queensland.
The project is expected to create thou-
sands of direct and indirect jobs during
peak construction and hundreds of on-
going jobs per year once fully operation-
al. While Inland Rail will serve this na-
tion well for at least the next 100 years,
its benefits are already being felt. I have
met with local consultative panels and
attended the opening of a one-stop shop
in Toowoomba where local residents can
meet with the team charged with deliver-
ing this major project.
The other signature project which is well
advanced in terms of development and
planning is the Western Sydney Airport.
Western Sydney is a fast growing region
which is deserving of an airport in its
own right. Western Sydney also stands to
be a beneficiary of additional economic
activity driven by the new transport hub.
By the early 2060s, the airport is fore-
cast to generate more than 60,000 di-
rect jobs and $1.5 billion per year in val-