Tony Abbott might want to be the "Infrastructure Prime Minister" but there was nothing new to show for it in Tuesday's budget.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The WestConnex motorway, roads around Badgerys Creek and a commitment to finishing the duplication of the Pacific Highway by the end of the decade remained the government's major transport commitments for Sydney and NSW.
There was no new funding for public transport initiatives, despite renewed calls for a rail line to Badgerys Creek airport.
And even though Joe Hockey banked $1.5 billion from the Victorian government's refusal to build a new urban motorway, the Treasurer did not redirect any of that funding to NSW.
Mr Abbott is committed to spending federal funds on urban road projects only, not public transport.
And his road commitments in Sydney are clear. The federal government has chipped in $1.5 billion in grant funding and a $2 billion loan for the WestConnex motorway through Sydney's inner west, and $405 million for the NorthConnex project under Pennant Hills Road.
Early works on both toll roads are due to start soon.
The government is also committed to a new airport at Badgerys Creek, but has not finished negotiations with Sydney Airport Corporation over its right to build it.
Federal funding will almost certainly be needed to help build the airport, though it was not forthcoming on Tuesday.
There has recently been a growing number of calls for a train line to be built to Badgerys Creek when it opens, in about a decade.
New NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has said he would like to work with Canberra over funding for a train line, and Qantas has said a rail link was necessary for the airport to be successful.
But these pleas went unheeded in Mr Hockey's budget, which nevertheless maintains $2.9 billion previously committed for an upgrade of local roads around Badgerys Creek over the next 10 years.
Mr Hockey has used the refusal of the Victorian Labor government to build the East West Link motorway to save $1.5 billion previously committed to that toll road, though the Treasurer says the federal government remains committed to the motorway.
