No detail in Federal Government’s rail funding pledge

Is the Federal Government’s $10 billion “rail-building plan” just smoke and mirrors designed to make it look like they are “nation building” when in reality they aren’t?

According to recent news reports the nation’s top infrastructure chief has admitted that the plan will mainly be handed to states as “cash grants,” nothing will be spent in the next two years, and that despite the large size of the funding plan no decisions have been made about where the money will be spent.

Shadow infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese told the AFR the program is “just another Coalition con”.

“Officials confirmed no money would be released from the fund over the next two years,” he said.

“The bureaucrats were also unable to explain how projects would qualify for funding, who would conduct eligibility assessments or whether the money would be disbursed via direct grants to the states or concessional loan.”