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Making AUSLINK Work

 The Federal Government plans to release a White Paper on its AUSLINK proposal shortly. An earlier Green Paper attracted over 550 submissions from organisations and individuals and while many agree with the need to develop a comprehensive and integrated National Land Transport Plan, some, including AAA have concerns about how the details may play out.  

AAA, with our State-based constituent clubs, provided a detailed submission to the Government on the AUSLINK Green Paper.  The submission can be found on our website (www.aaa.asn.au - Towards the National Land Transport Plan Submission by AAA to the Auslink Green Paper)

 It is not difficult to sustain the argument that the

transport system in Australia is inadequate

to meet the nation’s needs.

It is not difficult to sustain the argument that the transport system in Australia is inadequate to meet the nation’s needs. There is a significant backlog of already identified areas of need with improvement in road, rail, and public transport in urban, regional and rural areas Australia all necessary. It is also obvious that the current inadequacies of the transport system will not be addressed until there is an increase in financial commitment from Governments. This point was picked up by the Australian Local Government Association in their response to the Green Paper -

 “The Federal Government's bold new integrated transport proposal - AusLink - will fail without additional funding, the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Councillor Mike Montgomery, warned today…without new funding, money will have to be diverted from existing programs, including those that support local government road work. That is unacceptable.” 

Governments tend to see road funding as a cost, rather than an investment. Work conducted for AAA by the Allen Consulting Group shows clearly that substantial economic and social benefits flow from investment in roads. The Allen work is included in our submission on AUSLINK. 

From the perspective of motorists, the AUSLINK Green Paper focuses almost exclusively on freight and in particular rail. The paper all but ignores motorists and their future needs which will grow at a similar rate to that of freight. It is a fact that roads provide over 95% of the transport task for private motoring, carry most of the freight tonneage, and accommodate the great majority of public transport (taxis, buses, trams) - a dominance that will continue, even with a significant freight shift to rail.  

Doubling of the freight task in 10 years may be a forecast, but the rail system could not possibly absorb such an increase across the nation, and where absorption may occur it will be limited to a handful of high volume corridors. Shifting freight from road to rail between Capital cities may be a sensible idea, but not at the expense of roads. How, for example, will urban roads handle the predicted 60 to 80 per cent increase in light truck travel considered likely to carry freight from rail depots to destination?  

 It is a fact that roads provide over 95%

of the transport task for private motoring

 

AAA argues in our AUSLINK submission that national transport policy should focus on actual needs not modes.  For roads this includes: 

 

  • completion of the National Highway System to ensure that national economic and security needs are met;

 

  • improvements in road and traffic safety features to contribute to the national target of a 40% reduction in road fatalities;

 

  • addressing the backlog of link roads in both urban and regional areas (including outer metropolitan roads) to underpin a competitive economic framework; and

 

  • providing up-to-date information systems to all users from motorists to service providers.

 

The Australian automobile clubs believe that in developing such a National Transport Policy the following key points need to be recognised: 

 

  1. That the role of the three levels of Government in relation to transport investment and operations be specified, as a basis for decision-making and establishment of inter-governmental agreements and arrangements.

 

  1. Arising from (1), that an agreed nationally-strategic transport network be established, for which the Commonwealth has a clear role in pursuit of national objectives.

 

  1. That existing and on-going road needs be recognised, as the basis of road investment. In particular, the Commonwealth must commit to completion of the National Highway System (particularly those nationally-strategic links which would be unlikely to receive priority if left to State and Territory Governments) and to ongoing maintenance of the NHS.

 

  1. That governments consider transport investments not as simply a cost, but as an investment that can return significant benefits to the community. This requires that proposals be evaluated against explicit economic, social, environmental, safety and national security objectives, and that there be a commitment by all levels of government to continue to investment in and maintain road and other publicly-owned transport assets.

 

  1. That the current system of road user pricing/charging/funding be reformed, to ensure not only availability of funds to build and maintain assets, but also to ensure that prices reflect costs and that there is a “level playing field” between modes.

 

  1. That transport planning and policy proceed on the basis that transport is an integrated system (with integration of infrastructure, services and information across modes), and also integrated across regions (urban, rural, remote, international). However, it must also be recognised that each component (i.e. mode) has specific and unique needs which require appropriate funding, regulatory and institutional responses.

 

  1. That transport decision-making is transparent, and that decisions are consistent across modes and regions.

AUSLINK does present an important opportunity to develop a more integrated, strategic approach to future transport needs. However without adequate funding and without an inclusive focus across all modes of transport, AUSLINK will struggle to achieve the levels of support and cooperation necessary for it to meet its most basic purpose.