Building Australia Fund Projects

The Australian Government established the Building Australia Fund to fund critical infrastructure in the transport, communications, water and energy sectors of the economy. The Nation-building Funds Act 2008 was enacted on 18 December 2008.

Following the 2008 Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting, Infrastructure Australia was asked to conduct a National Infrastructure Audit and to develop and maintain an Infrastructure Priority List, to enable the Australian Government to make decisions on priority projects that will advance Australia’s nation building agenda.

The Australian Government considered Infrastructure Australia’s Priority List in determining 2009–10 Budget outcomes.

In the 2009–10 Budget the Australian Government committed $8.5 billion to projects for road, rail and port infrastructure. Of this over $7.8 billion is to be funded through the Building Australia Fund.

The major infrastructure projects funded through the Building Australia Fund are listed below. A link for each project will provide more detailed information.

New South Wales

• Hunter Expressway—Construction commenced in August 2010 and is scheduled for completion by late 2013. The total Australian Government investment will be $1.5 billion.
  
  
• Pacific Highway—Kempsey Bypass—Construction commenced in June 2010 and is scheduled for completion by early 2013. The total Australian Government investment will be $618 million.
  


• Further details on the Pacific Highway Upgrade Program are available on the Nation Building Program website.

Queensland

• Ipswich Motorway—Additional Works—Construction on the Dinmore to Goodna stage was completed in May 2012. Construction on Wacol to Darra Stage 2 was completed in April 2010. Planning for Darra to Rocklea has been completed, with the business case finalised in April 2012. The total Australian Government investment from the Building Australia Fund is $884 million with additional Nation Building Program funding of $929.6 million for the Dinmore to Goodna upgrade and $700 million for Wacol to Darra Stage 1.  The Australian Government also provided $255 million through the Nation Building Program to upgrade the Ipswich Motorway / Logan Motorway interchange. Further details on these projects are available on the Ipswich Motorway Overview webpage.
  
  
• Gold Coast Rapid Transit—Construction commenced in 2010 and is scheduled for completion in 2014. The total Australian Government investment is $365 million.

South Australia

• Gawler Rail Line Modernisation—Construction commenced in January 2010. The track has been rebuilt and station upgrades have been completed. Completion of electrification works has been postponed, following a decision by the South Australian Government to defer electrification elements of the Adelaide network. The Australian Government has committed $293.5 million to the project.
  
  
• Noarlunga to Seaford Rail Extension—Construction commenced in July 2010 and was completed in December 2012, with electrified train services expected to commence in December 2013 on completion of network electrification works. The total Australian Government investment will be $291.2 million.
  
  
• Goodwood and Torrens Junctions—Construction of the Goodwood Junction grade separation commenced in January 2013 and is expected to be completed in September 2013. Estimated time of construction for Torrens Junction and Leader Street grade separations are yet to be determined. The total Australian Government investment will be $232.1 million.

Victoria

• Regional Rail Link—Construction commenced in 2009 and works are currently underway. The total Australian Government investment will be $3.225 billion.
  
  
• Melbourne Metro 1—Preconstruction Work—Detailed design and preconstruction works are currently underway. The total Australian Government investment will be $40 million.

Western Australia

• Oakajee Port Common User Facilities—The Australian Government has made provision for a possible equity contribution of $339 million pending further advice on the project from Infrastructure Australia.

Australian Capital Territory

• Majura Parkway—Construction commenced in February 2013 with an expectation that the road will be open to traffic by June 2016. The total Australian Government investment will be $144 million.