Today's threats from Tony Abbott to axe funding for Perth's rail projects, slash public service jobs, and rip billions in aid from the world's poorest people shows people must vote Greens in the Senate to maintain checks and balances.

"In the event of a Coalition Government it is crucial that one party doesn't get total control of Parliament, and Mr Abbott certainly reminded us of that today with his drastic cuts," said Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam.

The Australian Greens have called on the Australian Government to spend a fraction of its multi-billion annual transport budget on building bike paths - an area of transport infrastructure ignored by both the older parties.

"The Greens' plan for an $80 million national annual funding program for cycling would come from unallocated funds in the Nation Building Two program, and will not affect funding for safety-related road projects," Australian Greens Infrastructure Spokesperson, Senator for WA Scott Ludlam said.

The Greens’ plan to redirect Sydney’s $2.2 billion motorway funding and boost light rail

The Australian Greens have announced a plan that will re-direct $2.2 billion of federal funds from motorways into a new Western Sydney light rail network to Parramatta CBD and a new Inner West light rail network.

The Greens have announced a plan to fast track the construction of high speed rail on the Eastern Sea board.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne and Deputy Leader Adam Bandt MP have announced the plan at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station and Mr Bandt will outline details of the plan to a conference on high speed in Sydney on Wednesday.

As part of the agreement to support the minority Labor government, the Australian Greens secured a $20 million feasibility study into high speed rail.

Question no.: 50

Program: N/A
Division/Agency: (IA) Infrastructure Australia
Topic: Stirling Alliance
Proof Hansard Page/s: 15 (14/02/2012)

Senator Ludlam asked:

Senator LUDLAM: Can you give us a rundown on why the priority list excluded the proposal from the Stirling Alliance?

As the IMF predicts oil prices will double over the next decade, the State Government's slow-moving approach to light rail and public transport investment will leave West Australians acutely vulnerable to rising fuel costs, the Greens (WA) warned today.

Greens national transport spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the Federal Government had allocated four million dollars to WA for light rail despite the Barnett Government apparently neglecting to include the project on its list of priorities for federal funding.

As the IMF predicts oil prices will double over the next decade, the ongoing failure to fix years of under-investment in public transport has left Australians extremely vulnerable to rising fuel prices, the Greens warned today.

Greens transport spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said Commonwealth infrastructure funds are still pouring into road building while public transport lags far behind, despite warnings from the International Monetary Fund and the Government's own BITRE 117 report that the price of oil is set to skyrocket.

Senate Additional Estimates February 2012

Rural, Regional and Transport Committee

Major Cities Unit February 14^th 2012

Topics covered:

Policy and Research - Incorporating BITRE

Topics covered:

• Peak Oil
• Leaked BITRE Report 117
• Aviation projections

(An exchange with Senator Edwards is included as he also raises the Missing BITRE Report 117)

CHAIR: I welcome officers from Policy and Research. We will go straight to questions from Senator Edwards.