Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 6:06:34 to 6:10:04
Discussion on the $1.74 billion Regional Corridors Upgrade program in New South Wales, designed to facilitate transport for Renewable Energy Zones and improve road safety.
Topics: Infrastructure, Renewable energy, Government spending
Speakers: Senator Ross Cadell, Lok Potticary, Jessica Hall, Unknown Speaker, Senator Glenn Sterle
>> I'm new to this committee. I'm learning my way around infrastructure that hasn't moved. So sorry about um regional corridors upgrade program. get move to that quickly for a second we can >> um I think se 7th of October this year government announced a new regional corridors up program worth 1.74 billion com investment is 697 billion is it available as a nationwide program or is it only New South Wales or what's the scope of that program as
>> so that was a project that we discussed earlier on under corporate in regards to funding to um make provision into the reses
>> right that that is entirely what it is. But is it only New South Wales or
>> It's only New South Wales.
>> Is there any reason it was only New South Wales?
>> Um it was a project that um New South Wales asked asked funding for because they're ready to go in regards to the work that they need to do and they've allocated it to specific corridors in their state.
>> And is it just for the road works itself? Look, I'm aware of Port of Newcastle. I'm aware of the turbines and
road upgrades,
>> but can you do like layaways and not stuff like that where the truckies can stop and lay over and put the things so they're not blocking the roads? It's all that sort of thing.
>> It could include um areas and all those sorts of things, whatever is eligible under the program.
>> Okie dokie. So it is is just to facilitate those reses and the transport of those articles combined that are linked to the res. That's right. That's
predominantly but it will obviously have other flow on benefits in regards to the movement of other um high productivity vehicles as well and it will also have road safety benefits.
>> Okay. As a consequence I agree with where you going with um what do you know what how many projects are currently being funded by it
>> What was the question? Sorry.
>> How many program how many actual programs or how many projects are being
separate corridors that are that are funded under that. Um and the Newcastle to do corridor has there's actually out for community consultation now. So there are a range of >> um upgrades that the New South Wales government is seeking input on. Um but it is things like um upgrading the roads, heavy vehicle pullover bays, marshing marshalling areas, overtaking lanes, um messaging systems, those sorts of things. So it's um it's it's not just about moving renewable energy zone components. It's it's got a broader um productiv productivity agenda and safety agenda for those corridors of which um renewable energy componentry is one of
those. What about um in the New England it's not New England res out in um Kair near Oberon and stuff like that. Is that a corridor that's eligible for funing under this?
>> Uh so there's the three corridors are Newcastle to do Muselbrook to Armadale which is largely on the New England Highway and Houston to I think it's Token Wall is the >> sorry Houston to what is it >> tow wall near the Victorian border. Yeah, sorry wrong. Yeah, it's okay.
and Kindra. Yes,
>> they're the three corridors.
>> Okay. Thank you very much. Um,
>> thank you, Deputy Chair. Uh, >> is there more for outcome one?
>> I am okay with outcome one. Chair.