Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 2:56:48 to 3:02:14
Senators question the lack of ongoing funding for the High-Speed Rail Authority beyond 2028 and the legislative provisions for winding up the entity once its initial tasks are complete.
Topics: Infrastructure, Government spending, Law reform
Speakers: Hon Bridget McKenzie, Mr. Jim Betts, Simon Milnes, Unknown Speaker, Jessica Hall
particularly given the 6 nearly 60 million dollar development phase work currently being undertaken.
So the highspeed rail authority is funded at least through until that date. Um the government is committed to the delivery of highspeed rail but there are decision points along the way. That's the work that HSR is undertaking right now. There's no expectation that um highspeed rail will not be funded beyond that date but that will be a decision for whoever is in government at the
time. so I guess my question is why has the government failed to allocate ongoing funding for the annual operations of the highspeed rail authority covering the 28 29 year beyond?
>> So the government and this hall can give you more detail on this. The government has funded the highspeed rail authority to complete a series of defined tasks through to the end of 2027 going into 2028 to inform potential investment decisions for a future government. Um it's at that point that it or any different government can make decisions around what the funding of HSR should be in the light of the substantive
investment decision. And those specific tasks um are to be delivered uh prior I assume uh to to end of financial year 28.
>> Uh well yeah during 2020.
>> Um just on the IIP headroom has any funding been committed since the budget? There's 11 billion dollars in that 2035 36 year sitting there. Um, have has any of that been pulled forward since the budget?
>> Um, yes. There has been some funding that has been committed since budget. Senator,
>> could you outline what that is, please, Miss Hall?
>> I'll get Mr. Miles to um advise of that.
>> Uh, so Simon Milnes um assistant secretary budget policy assurance branch. So the government's made um commitments to the Western Highway New South Wales and also unallocated funding and that was that 736 million in unallocated funding and then the remaining amount would be drawn from national allocated for those two funding. I'm not sure of the amounts
>> Okay. Um, can you give me the years when that has been? So is that the only is that the only decision since budget on the headroom?
Yes, Senator.
>> Right. Um, and do we have the profile for when, given New South Wales is expending first, when that will be anticipated to be drawn down?
>> So, that'll be published in my info.
>> I know it'll be published. I'm asking you now uh where it's sitting. The decision's been made. It's sitting somewhere in.
>> So the decision has been made for New South Wales, but in terms of our >> I'm not aware that decision has been made in terms of where our funding is
coming from. >> The the profiling >> the profile
>> the profiling
>> profile has been determined and published at my
>> determined and published. >> So it hasn't been depart. Okay. Um, has the highspeed rail authority actually been legislated? >> It's a legislated entity. >> It is. Yes. >> So, what happens to legislated entities that have no ongoing funding? >> I like I >> the legis >> you can't have a terminating measure related to an legislated entity, can
you? You can have leg legislation which provides for the winding up of an authority or an NC once its task has been completed in the view of the government of the day or the parliament. But
>> and does the highspeed authority rail authorities legislation provide for that?
>> I'd have to >> presumably you voted on it. [laughter]
>> I hope you opened the gate there secretary. Um yeah I I because the government hasn't provided funding going on over the forwards on this particular agency but it's a legislated agency
>> but it's quite common place in government for functions to be funded for a time limited period in the expectation that government will come to them again in a future budget and make decisions to replenish or extend that
>> Just on notice, yeah, if you could flesh out your comment there for me because I I I don't know if there is anything in the legislation to say, well, if this there is no longer funding, it winds up like this automatically, or whether it would have to be
>> it's a new I'll I'll try and get that
in. >> Yeah. Thank you. Appreciate it. Um, on page 125 of budget paper 2 under community infrastructure, there is a $16.8 million savings in the 2526 year. Uh, of that $100 million is attributed to the department. What is the composition of that savings?