PUBLIC TRANSPORT KEY TO IMPROVING HOUSING SUPPLY AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION
26 Oct 2016
The Turnbull Government’s recognition of the desirability of boosting housing development around transport hubs is meaningless in the absence of increased investment in public transport.
The Turnbull Government’s recognition of the desirability of boosting housing development around transport hubs is meaningless in the absence of increased investment in public transport.
Cities Minister Angus Taylor will today tell a Housing Industry Association summit he wants to work with state governments to cut red tape and boost housing supply around transport hubs.
But if the Turnbull Government is serious about increasing housing supply and tackling traffic congestion it would be investing in new public transport projects.
Instead, it cut billions of dollars worth of investment in public transport when it took office and has since not funded a single new public transport project. On current Budget forward estimates, Commonwealth investment in passenger rail will fall to zero by 2019-20.
The Government must stop seeking to blame the states for its own inaction and start investing in public transport projects like the Melbourne Metro, Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project and the Perth Metronet.
The provision of reliable public transport will create jobs in the short-term but also boost productivity and economic growth in the medium to long term.
Importantly, it would also attract housing investment around transport corridors.
We won’t create jobs or tackle traffic congestion and housing shortages by just talking about it.
You have to actually invest.