Wednesday 20 August 2014

Labor would give rail its proper place: Albanese

Labor would give rail its proper place: Albanese


Labor would give rail its proper place: Albanese





Shadow infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese is already mapping out policy for a future Labor government, challenging…












Anthony Albanese says a returned Labor government would invest in urban rail.
AAP/Daniel Munoz






Shadow infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese is
already mapping out policy for a future Labor government, challenging in
particular the priority Tony Abbott has given to roads and stipulating
greater collaboration between levels of government.




He says in a speech to an infrastructure conference in Melbourne
today that a returned Labor government would invest in urban rail to
ensure cities have better public transport. This would drive
productivity.




Abbott has scrapped billions of dollars of investment in urban rail
projects including the Melbourne Metro and Brisbane’s Cross-River Rail
project and his preference for roads was also causing states to think
less about rail, Albanese says.




“If the Commonwealth is offering grants for roads but not rail,
there’s a direct incentive to take the money for roads. Premiers with
the good sense to want to invest in rail will get no help from Canberra.
Labor believes in investing in roads and rail.




“We need an integrated system that serves our community and our
economy, not a poll-driven approach that serves the electoral interests
of the government of the day.”




He says an integrated approach needs co-operation between all levels
of government, with the Commonwealth giving leadership to the other
levels in urban policy.




The pressure on cities will increase in coming years with
technological, demographic and workplace changes. “We need to look at
planning, housing affordability, population density, utilities, social
mobility, public housing, recreation and a range of other issues that
bear on the health of our cities.”




Governments should involve stakeholders in infrastructure planning to
harness all available intellectual capacity, Albanese says.
“Regrettably, the Abbott government sees consultation as talking to big
business only.




“Big businessmen have useful contributions to make about
infrastructure, but in many cases they also have financial stakes in the
outcome of deliberations. Labor also wants input from experts in
planning and design, financing and other areas.”




He says also to the forefront in his policy thinking for a possible
second chance at the portfolio is that Australian governments need to do
more to build communities.




“When delivering infrastructure we need to think more about the way that our built environment supports the community.



“In particular, we need to consider how changes bearing down upon us,
including the effects of an ageing population, will affect the way our
communities work.




“We have to guard against social isolation of the elderly, for instance.



“We need to ensure our changing communities have public space and
recreational areas; safe and effective links for pedestrians and
cyclists and mixed-use precincts that include a range of uses that
contribute to the way people experience their lives.”














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Tuesday 12 August 2014

anthonyalbanese.com.au

anthonyalbanese.com.au



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Contact Anthony

(02) 9564 3588 Electorate Office
Email: A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au






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