The ACT isn't getting its fair share of transport spending, Labor says, with new figures showing just 0.7 per cent of federal transport funds are going to projects in the ACT, despite the territory having 1.6 per cent of the country's population.
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Information from the 2019-20 budget papers and the Parliamentary Library, shows the federal government has spent or pledged $0.725 billion on transport projects across the ACT, out of $111.25 billion in spending overall.
That figure includes funds across the Roads to Recovery Program, Black Spot Program, and Road Safety Upgrade Package as well as heavy vehicle, bridge renewal, roads of strategic importance programs and the urban congestion fund.
While the two most populous states NSW and Victoria are receiving the highest dollar figures and biggest shares of federal funding, those shares are also smaller than the states' proportion of the country's population.
Labor MP for Fenner Andrew Leigh says the figures show Canberra has been dudded by the federal government on transport spending.
"Yet again, Canberrans have gotten a raw deal from the Liberals. If people in the ACT were treated like other Australians, we would have gotten more than twice as much in infrastructure grants since the Liberals came to office in 2013," Dr Leigh said.
"If the Liberals want to make up for their failures in ACT infrastructure funding, they should start by co-funding the second stage of light rail, which will serve the Parliamentary Triangle on its way to Woden."
At the election the Liberal Party committed to duplicating William Slim Drive, worth $20 million, and in 2018 upgrades for both the Barton Highway and Monaro Highway were promised, to the tune of $100 million for each road.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, whose portfolios include infrastructure and transport, said the government isn't ignoring the capital's needs.
"The ACT is the smallest out of the states and territories in both land mass and population but it's known for having one of the best road networks in the country," he said.
Minister McCormack pointed out that as well as William Slim Drive, Canberrans will benefit from $30 million to be spent on upgrading the Kings Highway between the capital and the South Coast.
"From 2013-14 to 2028-29, the Australian government has committed more than $752 million to fund land transport infrastructure projects in the ACT. Between 1 July 2013 and 30 June 2019, the Australian government has spent more than $320 million across the Territory," he said.
"Infrastructure funding is not allocated based on population percentages, but rather to projects that the government considers to be a priority based on the level of congestion, road safety, productivity and other benefits."
The minister didn't rule out contributing funding to stage two of light rail, saying the government would consider any future project proposals put forward by the ACT government.