SA Government releases 10-year strategy to develop the state’s North-South Corridor
The South Australian Government has called for Federal Government funding following the release of a 10-year strategy to develop the state’s North-South corridor, which stretches 78 kilometres from Gawler to Old Noarlunga and is one of Adelaide’s most important transport corridors. In a statement last week, Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the release of the 10-year strategy comes after a disappointing Federal Budget earlier in May that included no further infrastructure funding for South Australia.
“This plan has been with the Federal Government since December last year yet received no support in the Federal Budget,” Mr Koutsantonis said.
The Treasurer added that if Prime Minister Tony Abbott was to fulfil his pledge to upgrade the North-South Corridor in the next 10 years, funding needed to be allocated immediately.
Mr Koutsantonis said that while the State Government had been working with Federal Assistant Infrastructure and Regional Development Minister Jamie Briggs to release the strategy this week, they instead chose to release it last week due to “the outcome of the Federal Budget and Mr
Briggs’ continued inaccurate claims the State Government had not put forward any projects for consideration.”
“Along with the North-South Corridor, the Premier personally put another three projects (Kingscote Airport, Northern Connector and Strzelecki Track) on the table when he met with Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey last year,” he said.
Mr Koutsantonis said the Federal Government always had a partner in South Australia if they were willing to fund productive road infrastructure.
In response, Mr Brigss said the Federal Government is fully committed to delivering the North South Corridor and looks forward to working with the State Government to plan a strategy on how best to deliver the entire upgrade once it has received advice from Infrastructure Australia.
Source: News Release, Urbanalyst, 26 May, 2015