Leading industry bodies share disappointment in the detail
South Australia’s leading industry lobby groups – the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME), South Australian Freight Council (SAFC), Royal Automobile Association (RAA) and Civil Contractors Federation South Australia (CCF SA) – have slammed the Federal budget as a misleading, untimely and inauspicious deal for South Australia, shortly after pre-budget optimism.
The Commonwealth’s re-asserted pledge to complete the North South Corridor by 2023 is now a seemingly impossible task with none of the $1.2 billion needed for the North South Corridor works making it into the forward estimates.
Only $52 million of the promised $177 million for the Regency to Pym project is included, which would result in nothing more than property acquisition completion by 30 June 2022.
Duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge has also taken a back seat with only $60 million of the $160 million promised for its duplication. Even the most optimistic timeline for completion would be 2023. This leaves one of Australia’s most strategically important transport corridors compromised.
Rail electrification from Salisbury to Gawler has also been short changed, with only $50 million of the $220 million required accounted for.
Introduction of a new tax – the ‘Biosecurity Imports Levy’ – applies a $10.02 impost for each sea freight container that lands in Australia, and $1 per tonne for bulk imports. The new tax will apply from 2019/20 and will raise $325 million over just 3 years.
The new $3.5 billion ‘Roads of Strategic Importance’ program allocates $530 million over the forward estimates, and South Australia receives just $3.7 million, less than 1% of the funds allocated.
Despite a growing national road death toll, Black Spots funding has been cut from $100 million nationally in 2017/18 to just $60 million in 2020/21 and beyond.
Of the new $250 million ‘Major Project Business Case Fund’ only $75 million appears in the estimates, with SA allocated $4.1 million, or just 5.7%.
Evan Knapp Executive Officer SA Freight Council 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. It is now clear that the Commonwealth’s commitment to complete the North South Corridor by 2023 will not be met without a change to the budget, which is a great disappointment for all South Australians.”
Rebecca Knol CEO SACOME said, “With only $60 million allocated for the duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge to commence with $10 million from 1 July 2019, the handbrake has been applied to the initial design and scoping work. This infrastructure is a critical enabler for 15 million tonnes of freight and 9,000 vehicles each year and I am surprised its economic importance to not only South Australia, but the country was not given the impetus it deserves.”
Charles Mountain Senior Manager Road Safety RAA Group said, “With no funding allocation until 2019/20 this will delay the duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge with consequent impacts on improving this vital corridor to the north of the state.”
Victoria Griffith Acting CEO CCF SA said, “South Australia cannot afford to have delays and gaps in the infrastructure pipeline. We require clear detail from the Government as to how these projects will come to fruition.”
ABOUT US
SACOME
The South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy is the leading industry body representing the resources sector in SA.
SAFC
The SA Freight Council is the State’s peak, multi-modal industry group that advises both the Federal and State governments on industry related issues. Funded by industry and government, it represents road, rail, sea, air freight modes and operations to assist industry on issues relating to freight logistics.
RAA
With a membership of over 700,000 South Australians RAA provides a wide range of services for the South Australian community and have represented their motoring and safety interests for over 110 years.
CCF SA
Civil Contractors Federation (CCF SA) is an industry association that promotes, protects and represents companies and other organisations with business interest in civil (construction) contracting.
Media contact: Rebecca Knol, CEO SACOME, 0409 012 007
Membership enquiries: SACOME, 08 8202 9999 or [email protected]
South Australia’s leading industry lobby groups – the South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME), South Australian Freight Council (SAFC), Royal Automobile Association (RAA) and Civil Contractors Federation South Australia (CCF SA) – have slammed the Federal budget as a misleading, untimely and inauspicious deal for South Australia, shortly after pre-budget optimism.
The Commonwealth’s re-asserted pledge to complete the North South Corridor by 2023 is now a seemingly impossible task with none of the $1.2 billion needed for the North South Corridor works making it into the forward estimates.
Only $52 million of the promised $177 million for the Regency to Pym project is included, which would result in nothing more than property acquisition completion by 30 June 2022.
Duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge has also taken a back seat with only $60 million of the $160 million promised for its duplication. Even the most optimistic timeline for completion would be 2023. This leaves one of Australia’s most strategically important transport corridors compromised.
Rail electrification from Salisbury to Gawler has also been short changed, with only $50 million of the $220 million required accounted for.
Introduction of a new tax – the ‘Biosecurity Imports Levy’ – applies a $10.02 impost for each sea freight container that lands in Australia, and $1 per tonne for bulk imports. The new tax will apply from 2019/20 and will raise $325 million over just 3 years.
The new $3.5 billion ‘Roads of Strategic Importance’ program allocates $530 million over the forward estimates, and South Australia receives just $3.7 million, less than 1% of the funds allocated.
Despite a growing national road death toll, Black Spots funding has been cut from $100 million nationally in 2017/18 to just $60 million in 2020/21 and beyond.
Of the new $250 million ‘Major Project Business Case Fund’ only $75 million appears in the estimates, with SA allocated $4.1 million, or just 5.7%.
Evan Knapp Executive Officer SA Freight Council 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. It is now clear that the Commonwealth’s commitment to complete the North South Corridor by 2023 will not be met without a change to the budget, which is a great disappointment for all South Australians.”
Rebecca Knol CEO SACOME said, “With only $60 million allocated for the duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge to commence with $10 million from 1 July 2019, the handbrake has been applied to the initial design and scoping work. This infrastructure is a critical enabler for 15 million tonnes of freight and 9,000 vehicles each year and I am surprised its economic importance to not only South Australia, but the country was not given the impetus it deserves.”
Charles Mountain Senior Manager Road Safety RAA Group said, “With no funding allocation until 2019/20 this will delay the duplication of the Joy Baluch Bridge with consequent impacts on improving this vital corridor to the north of the state.”
Victoria Griffith Acting CEO CCF SA said, “South Australia cannot afford to have delays and gaps in the infrastructure pipeline. We require clear detail from the Government as to how these projects will come to fruition.”
ABOUT US
SACOME
The South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy is the leading industry body representing the resources sector in SA.
SAFC
The SA Freight Council is the State’s peak, multi-modal industry group that advises both the Federal and State governments on industry related issues. Funded by industry and government, it represents road, rail, sea, air freight modes and operations to assist industry on issues relating to freight logistics.
RAA
With a membership of over 700,000 South Australians RAA provides a wide range of services for the South Australian community and have represented their motoring and safety interests for over 110 years.
CCF SA
Civil Contractors Federation (CCF SA) is an industry association that promotes, protects and represents companies and other organisations with business interest in civil (construction) contracting.
Media contact: Rebecca Knol, CEO SACOME, 0409 012 007
Membership enquiries: SACOME, 08 8202 9999 or [email protected]