As usual, politicians aren’t interested in fixing up our dysfunctional federation or highways.
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“I give notice that on the next day of sitting, I shall move that the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References committee for inquiry and report by 10 December 2024:
The proposal for the Australian Government to assume complete responsibility for federal highways with particular regard to:
(1) the funding, construction, and maintenance of federal highways;
(2) the training and utilisation of military engineers to construct and maintain federal highways; and any other related matters.”
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Australia needs to fix up its inefficient and ineffective bureaucracy. The manner in which Federal Highways are managed is dysfunctional. The Federal Government funds 80% of Federal Highways but the State Government is responsible for building and maintaining them.
The State Government therefore has no incentive to control costs. Katy Gallagher needs a history lesson when she says there are constitutional impediments to the Federal Government building Federal Highways.
The Federal Government built the Snowy Hydro using the Defence powers under S51(6) of the Constitution and I quote: “However, limitations in the Australian Constitution meant that the Commonwealth Government was limited in the powers it could exercise, without the agreement of the States. Subsequently, the Commonwealth Government introduced legislation into the Federal Parliament under its defence power; and enacted the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Power Act 1949.
Ten years later, the relevant States and Territories introduced their own corresponding legislation and in January 1959 the Snowy Mountains Agreement was reached between the Commonwealth and the States.” Like Dams, our Federal Highways should be seen as vital to the defence of the Nation. Instead of immigrants going to University they should be made do 5 years National Service in the Military Engineers, getting a trade while building infrastructure such as Federal Highways.
That would be a lot more useful than driving Ubers in the city.
Senate on 12/09/2024
Item: COMMITTEES – Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee – Reference
Senator RENNICK (Queensland) (11:39): I move:
That the following matter be referred to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry and report by 10 December 2024:
The proposal for the Australian Government to assume complete responsibility for federal highways, with particular regard to:
(a) the funding, construction and maintenance of federal highways;
(b) the training and utilisation of military engineers to construct and maintain federal highways; and
(c) any other related matters.
Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Finance, Minister for Women, Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Vice-President of the Executive Council) (11:39): I seek leave to make a short statement.
The PRESIDENT: Leave is granted for one minute.
Senator GALLAGHER: Under Australia’s system of federation, states and territories have responsibility for building and maintaining our highways, while the Commonwealth government contributes funding. Having the Commonwealth and the ADF assume responsibility for highway construction and maintenance from states and territories would present significant constitutional and practical barriers that would make such a suggestion impossible.
While the ADF is there in moments of greatest need, the primary role of the Defence Force is the defence of the nation. The Albanese government is focused on delivering practical outcomes to improve our roads. This includes an unprecedented increase in maintenance funding, which, after being frozen for nine years under the coalition, has now been indexed at 2½ per cent per year and backdated to when the freeze was brought in.
Question negatived.
