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Chair of the Australia Council Robert Morgan has announced he will retire from the Australia Council Board. 

Deputy Chair Professor Wesley Enoch will step in as Acting Chair. 

Arts Minister Tony Burke thanked Mr Morgan for his contribution to the cultural sector in Australia. 

“Mr Morgan has played a pivotal role in establishing Creative Australia, the centrepiece of our National Cultural Policy Revive, restoring and modernising the Australia Council for the Arts ,” he said. 

“Mr Morgan committed to leading the transition of the organisation and told me of his intention to retire once the legislation was in place and Creative Australia established. Music Australia, Creative Workplaces and the First Nations Board are now in place and Writing Australia will commence from 1 July this year. Now is the time to hand-over to a new Chair. 

“As Chair of the Australia Council since July 2021, Mr Morgan has made an invaluable contribution to the cultural sector in Australia and I thank him for his commitment, passion and professionalism.” 

Mr Morgan said “it has been a great honour to have served as the Chair of Creative Australia during the period of its establishment and supporting its ambitions for Australia’s artists, creators and cultural visionaries.”

 “I am delighted Wesley Enoch will be the Acting Chair of Creative Australia, allowing me to retire having fulfilled my commitment to serve as Chairman until a successor was ready to step into the role.

 “I have great confidence Creative Australia will continue to deliver its mandate to support Australia’s rich and diverse cultural life for all Australians under Wesley’s leadership.”

Professor Enoch AM is a proud Quandamooka man from Minjerribah, an internationally acclaimed playwright, artistic director, and has been the Deputy Chair of the Australia Council since August 2023.

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Thank you Andrew for your kind introduction and welcome.

It’s a pleasure to be here, and I thank the Brisbane 2032 OCOG for hosting this event. 

I want to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet the Turrbal and Jagera peoples and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

Together Australians stand on the shoulders of 1,600 generations of First Nations people, and that is our shared history.

I also acknowledge to CO-Com, executives and the IOC delegation, particularly President-elect Kirsty Coventry and new Co-Com Chair Mikee Cojuangco Jaworski, who is all but a local… training under own Vicki Roycroft at the Brisbane Showgrounds… Mikee, please know, I view you as my Vicki Roycroft.

Thank you to my fellow OCOG members, and AOC President Ian Chesterman and new CEO Mark Arbib… Mark’s presence means there are three Federal Sport Ministers in this room – what could go wrong.

While our Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wishes he could be here this week with you, he has just returned from the Pope’s inauguration in Rome.

If there is one sentence that resonates long after you leave Brisbane… I hope it is this –

The re-election of the Albanese Government ensures Australia is absolutely committed to making the Brisbane Games – a great Games, for our athletes, for Queensland, Australia and the Pacific.

There’s a quote from outgoing President Bach that has stuck with me and lights our path to 2032…

“Like no other human activity, sport is about bringing people together in the spirit of friendship and respect. Sport always builds bridges, it never erects walls.”

The Australian government views Brisbane 2032 as an amphitheatre for our athletes to bring people together for greater health and social cohesion from playground to podium. 

Because sport makes us hug strangers. And we have evidence of that right below us – on that grass.

I understand there is a tour of this stadium later today but this venue is so much more than turnstiles and corporate boxes.

You see, for decades that grass behind you was only known for men clashing in violent rugby contests.

Until we hosted the Women’s Football World Cup in 2023, when just down there, three seconds changed a nation.

A moment when a young woman called Cortnee Vine, who learned to kick a ball in the outer suburbs of Brisbane, 10 kms north of here, curled a penalty past France’s goalkeeper to send Australia through to the World Cup semi-final. 

Our greatest World Cup achievement.

I was sitting just up there. I cried. I launched a ferocious hug on a bewildered Prime Minister that prompted Federal Police to hover.

Cortnee’s goal speaks to why the 2032 Games must be about sporting Moments not monoliths.

That moment and significant funding from the Australian government led to a ten per cent increase in women’s football participation post tournament.

That match is among the top five most watched television programs in Australian history.

In fact, four of those five are women’s sporting events, including Cathy Freeman’s 400 metre gold in Sydney.

This September marks 25 years since those Sydney Games transformed Australia.

Brisbane 2032 must and will drive even greater participation and social cohesion.

As a key Games Delivery Partner, I want to assure the Games family the Australian Government is a steadfast partner and we thank the IOC for your esteemed leadership.

Our immediate areas of focus include governance, infrastructure, impact and legacy.

I know how dedicated the IOC is to fostering sport through the Pacific and note your recent trip to Guam – we share that same passion.

We will make 2032 a north star for a more inclusive sport environment throughout the region and for our Pacific family.

From the outset the Australian Government has backed Brisbane 2032.

We provided more than $8.6 million to the Queensland Government to support its candidature bid and its only grown from there.

Already, our 2032 funding commitment across infrastructure, transport, high performance, major events and grass roots has exceeded $16 billion dollars. 

This includes more than $12.4 billion dollars in Games related transport, more than $3.4 billion dollars in Games venues and in the past 18 months alone almost a billion-dollar commitment to grass roots and high-performance sport.

Crucially, we made a two year $489 million in Olympic and Paralympic sport as we head to LA28.

This is the largest Olympic and Paralympic sport investment ever.

This means that 95% of Olympic and Paralympic summer sports are receiving increased funding with an average increase of 64% per year, compared to the period leading up to Paris Games.

More sports are being supported too, with an increase from 54 to 68 summer Olympic and Paralympic programs funded in the lead-up to LA.

We have also increased our Direct Athlete Investment Scheme – DAIS – funding, boosting it to $41.4m across two years.

DAIS is money in the athlete’s pocket so they can spend more time training and less time fundraising.

This means more than 1000 Australian athletes now receive DAIS funding.

Crucially we have also doubled the money going towards Paralympic sports with an extra $54.9m over the next two years.

The is the largest commitment an Australian government has made to Para-Sport and will shift the balance of funding from 85 per cent able bodied and 15 per cent people with a disability, to 75 per cent able bodied and 25 per cent people with a disability.

And, while it hasn’t been announced yet, the Federal Government will invest an additional $2.1m so our Paralympians can travel to Milan Cortina to chase gold. 

We are determined to do more – because we know 3 in 4 Australians with a disability want to play sport but only 1 in 4 have the opportunity.

While as Minister for Sport, I am first and foremost athlete-led.

We have also made major infrastructure commitments including a record $249m for the Australian Institute of Sport to improve our national centre of excellence where our juniors and elites train. 

This is the biggest investment in the AIS since the early 80’s – before Kirsty and I were born.

This is on top of our $200m Play Our Way fund for women’s and girls sport infrastructure and programs – the largest ever sport funding package to build female changerooms and women-specific sporting environments.

And… since we came to Government Labor has funded more than $80m in Major Events as well including the Canoe World Champs that the IOC’s own Jess Fox will star in later this year.

The Albanese Government will also invest up to $3.435 billion in Games venues in a 50/50 partnership with the Queensland Government.

BUT – we are also funding significant Games transport.

$12.4 billion committed for transport projects in South East Queensland already identified by the Queensland Government as necessary for the Games.

This includes faster rail, highway upgrades, and major connection pieces that support 2032.

So this $16 billion commitment will revitalise the AIS, boost high‑performance sport, increase participation, reduce injuries, enhance guardrails and sport safety, fund legacy arenas and the connections that allow people to visit them while improving integrity for the benefit of all Australians.

And recent news helps us all. Last week I was honoured to be named Minister for Communications, opening greater synergies for the world’s biggest media event.

Sport and Comms is now in the infrastructure department, and already Sport Integrity Australia have flagged a goal to embed integrity as a design principle of sport infrastructure.

We are also continuing work on our IOC Guarantees.

As part of the candidature process to secure hosting rights, the Albanese Government committed to a range of operational support services.

These include communications, national security, taxation, integrity, safety and safeguarding, and visa handling.

We are committed to delivering on these guarantees, taking a coordinated approach across all involved departments to create solutions.

These threads I’m discussing today are hemmed through Australia’s first ever ten-year plan for sport.

Australia’s National Sport Strategy, Sport Horizon, will capitalise on sport’s power, and outlines my government’s priorities for this sector.

It affirms our commitment to creating a safe, fair, and sustainable sector that grows participation, drives positive social change, grows our economy and strengthens international relationships.

It emphasises the pursuit of gender equity.

For the first time in Australian history, sporting boardrooms across Australia must meet gender equity targets or risk government funding being withdrawn.

I have mandated our sports sector must achieve the following governance targets by no later than 1 July 2027:

50% of all board directors are women and/or gender diverse 

50% of board chairs are women and/or gender diverse 

50% of specified board sub-committee members are women and/or gender diverse.

Because we view sport as a transponder for social change. 

As President Bach says, sport builds bridges, never erects walls.

And… we must remember this – 

The Games’ most valuable treasure – is its athletes. 

It is not about politicians or political point-scoring.

Our job is to work with Federations to create environments where brilliance thrives, and then… get out of the way.

Our job is to enable athletic moments to replace monoliths in 2032.

So that grass right there conjures the next Cortnee Vine.

So the aquatic centre a kilometre away creates history like Kirsty did in Athens and Beijing. 

So Victoria Park is an amphitheatre for our next Cathy Freeman gold medal euphoria.

I was born and raised in this city… 

I am not just determined, I am obsessed. Brisbane 2032 will be a great Games.

Thank you.

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A new milestone has been reached in efforts to clean up the Tamar Estuary.

Construction of the impressive 10-megalitre storage tank at Ti Tree Bend is progressing with the concrete walls and floors complete and the lid set to be installed.

The tank is part of the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan (TERHAP), a collaborative initiative of the Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce (TEMT) and the $609.4 million Launceston City Deal, aimed at improving the health of the Tamar Estuary.

A total of $129.2 million is being invested to implement key urban water infrastructure upgrades, comprising $42.5 million by the Australian and Tasmanian governments, $33.2 million by TasWater and $11 million by the City of Launceston.

Around 80 contractors have been involved in the works, with an average of 30 on site each day.

The transformative project will enhance TasWater’s capacity to manage sewage and stormwater, significantly reducing overflow events and ensuring a cleaner and healthier estuary.

The TERHAP works will result in 387 Megalitres less combined system overflows, of which 34 Megalitres will be sewage. This is nearly 60 per cent less sewage than currently overflows to the estuary.

With the TERHAP project in its final stages, TasWater will turn its attention to the broader picture for greater Launceston’s sewerage network.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Regional Development and Local Government, Kristy McBain MP:

“Upgrading Launceston’s sewage and stormwater system will not only ensure it keeps pace with the city’s growing population, it will significantly boost the health of the Kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary, supporting commercial and recreational opportunities on this waterway into the future.

“We are committed to collaborating with all levels of government and investing in the critical infrastructure regional Australians rely on.”

Quotes attributable to Tasmania Minister for Infrastructure, Kerry Vincent:

“The Tasmanian Government has made this strategic investment in improving the efficiency of TasWater’s combined sewerage and stormwater network to secure the health of the Kanamaluka/Tamar Estuary for generations to come.

“This project is about working together to create a healthier environment for our children and grandchildren.

“By working collaboratively we can protect our waterway and ensure Launceston’s critical infrastructure is keeping pace with the growing needs of the community.”
 

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

The Albanese and Rockliff Governments are proud to mark a historic milestone for Tasmania, with the official opening of the new Bridgewater Bridge – the largest transport infrastructure project in the state’s history.

The $786 million project represents a significant investment in Tasmania’s future, delivering modern infrastructure that improves connectivity, enhances freight and passenger movement, and supports economic growth across the state.

The Australian Government contributed $628.8 million to the transformative project, with the Tasmanian Government contributing the remaining $157.2 million. The new bridge has been delivered on time and on budget.

The new four-lane bridge will deliver faster, more reliable travel times for commuters, freight operators and locals, significantly reducing bottlenecks on this key section of the highway network.

The new bridge is the fifth to be built across the River Derwent at Bridgewater and symbolises the next chapter in the evolution of this critical transport link.

It replaces ageing infrastructure with a state-of-the-art structure that will serve the people of Tasmania for decades to come. 

The 1.2-kilometre-long crossing will improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, with new interchanges, a 3-metre-wide shared path and modern safety features.

The bridge also includes improved access for marine traffic, with a higher clearance and no lift span, reducing delays and improving efficiency for both road and river users.

It has been designed to support growth throughout the region and has been built with a vision towards the future of the state.

Since construction began in October 2022, the project has supported around 1000 jobs, more than 25 per cent of which were employees from the local area.   

Thanks to targeted employment and training programs, the project has created pathways for apprentices, trainees and people new to the civil construction industry to gain real-world experience on a nationally significant construction site.

This ensures the state’s workforce is equipped for the pipeline of future Tasmanian infrastructure projects.

The new bridge will open to traffic from tomorrow (Monday, 2 June) with all four lanes operating at 80 km/h.

Works across the project site will continue over coming weeks, including landscaping, construction of the new roundabout linking Old Main Road and Gunn Street, and removal of the temporary bridge and barges.

For more information about the project and to see the latest flythrough footage, visit the project website at bridgewaterbridge.tas.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese:

“My Government is building Australia’s future by investing in transformative transport infrastructure like the Bridgewater Bridge.

“We have worked with the Tasmanian Government to deliver a landmark project that will improve safety, deliver a better commuter experience, and boost productivity in this great state.

“The Bridgewater Bridge is about more than meeting the needs of Tasmanians today – it’s about making sure that Tasmanians have the world class infrastructure they deserve for generations to come.”

Quotes attributable to Premier of Tasmania Jeremy Rockliff: 

“This is a bridge built by Tasmanians for Tasmanians, and is something that everyone in the State can be proud of.

“The Bridgewater Bridge has been talked about for decades, but together with every person involved in this project, we have delivered it.

“The new Bridge is a testament to what we can achieve in Tasmania when we work together.

“Major infrastructure projects like this inspire, support our economy, upskill our people, and build a better Tasmania: now and for the future.

“I want to acknowledge the Federal Government for working with us to deliver this inter-generational infrastructure for Tasmania.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“The first Bridgewater Bridge opened in 1848, and today we’re opening the fifth, marking a historic milestone in the history of Tasmania.

“Investing in major infrastructure projects doesn’t just keep people and goods moving, it provides an ongoing boost to local economies through more efficient and effective transport.

“We are proud to partner with the Tasmanian Government and local industry to deliver this important project which will improve safety, support economic growth and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.”

Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure Kerry Vincent: 

“This bridge stands as a testament to what can be achieved when we work together.

“It is more than just concrete and steel. It is a once-in-a-generation project and a symbol of what the future holds for Tasmania.

“I want to thank the local community for their patience and understanding during the construction period.

“The resilience of the local community and the travelling public are what has made this landmark of national significance a success.”

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

The iconic WACA Ground multi-million-dollar redevelopment has reached a major milestone with the completion of the highest structural point.

A ‘Topping Out Ceremony’ was attended by project partners, government representatives, WA Cricket officials, and key stakeholders. 

The revitalised WACA Ground will serve as a world-class sporting, arts and entertainment venue for generations to come.

The transformative WACA Ground Improvement Project is a collaborative initiative, jointly funded by the Australian Government, Western Australian Government and City of Perth, in partnership with WA Cricket and Cricket Australia.

This project will help ensure the long-term prosperity and liveability of Perth and drive the city’s economic, social and environmental sustainability, delivering: 

• a boutique multi-use sport and entertainment venue with 10,000 capacity
• state-of-the-art high-performance and community sport facilities, including a 10-lane indoor centre
• a community resort-style aquatic facility, including a six-lane outdoor 50m pool, indoor learn to swim pool and waterslides
• a public café, with indoor and outdoor seating
• a community health, fitness and wellbeing facility overlooking the WACA Ground
• a revitalised museum that honours the rich history and heritage of the WACA Ground and inspires the next generation
• infusion of Aboriginal cultural narrative into the planning and design
• an all-abilities playground and other inclusive facilities.

Construction is being led by ADCO Constructions, one of Australia’s leading builders, whose team has worked closely with project partners on the exciting development.

The redevelopment is on track for completion by November 2025.

More information on the WACA Ground Improvement Project can be accessed at: https://wacaground.com.au/   

Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

“We are committed to working alongside the Western Australian Government and the City of Perth to deliver infrastructure that benefits the Perth community.

“Today marks a significant milestone for the WACA Ground redevelopment, which will build on Western Australia’s great sporting legacy.”

Quotes attributable to WA Deputy Premier and Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti:

“Our government’s record investment in sporting infrastructure is helping to support iconic projects like the WACA Ground Improvement project, to service a growing inner-city community and support cricket across all levels.

“We have a long and proud cricket history in this State, and this huge redevelopment of the famous WACA Ground will support our cricketers for many years to come. 

“Importantly, the redevelopment will also provide world-class community facilities and amenity for the growing number of people and families who are moving into the East Perth area.” 

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Perth Patrick Gorman:

“I am thrilled to see the WACA Ground Improvement project come to life. Families across Perth are looking forward to the benefits this will bring to our city.”

“Our Government will continue to build Western Australia’s future and invest in national results for our local communities.”

Quotes attributable to WA Planning and Lands Minister John Carey: 

“As the population of our inner-city increases, projects like the WACA Ground improvement are crucial to ensuring the community has access to facilities that meet demand.

“It’s great to see progress on this landmark development, which along with the neighbouring new primary school, will be transformative for the east end of our city.

“Our Government is backing a number of projects in the inner city, including the new East Perth Primary School and ECU City Campus that will make Perth more vibrant and liveable.”

Quotes attributable to Deputy Lord Mayor City of Perth Bruce Reynolds:

“The revitalisation of this iconic WA sporting institution is a fantastic example of how all levels of government can come together to deliver new, much-needed community facilities.

“With a multitude of city-shaping projects underway, the City of Perth’s $25 million investment in the WACA aquatic facility — as part of the landmark Perth City Deal — is about building a growing, liveable and sustainable capital for generations to come.”

Quotes attributable to WA Cricket CEO John Stephenson:

“Today’s milestone is a powerful symbol of what can be achieved when sport, government, and community come together with a shared vision. 

“This is more than a cricket project – it’s about creating a precinct that brings people together. We’re proud to be building a space that reflects the spirit and diversity of our community.”

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Goulburn Mulwaree Council has successfully completed over $2.56 million road safety upgrades on a 3.6 kilometre section of Jerrara Road, improving driving conditions and reducing crash risks.

The project focused on smoothing out the road by fixing steep rises, dips, and sharp curves that made driving challenging, especially through areas with rolling hills.

This work was funded by the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program ($1,939,062) and the NSW Government’s Regional Emergency Road Repair Fund ($624,000).

It included shoulder improvements, creation of clear zones, installation of flexible roadside barriers, improved road geometry, curved shoulder upgrades, installation of audio edge and centre lines, and removed sight distance issues at the Jerrara Road intersection. 

Line marking has also been improved. Together, these projects significantly improve safety and accessibility on Jerrara Road for all users.

Quotes attributable to Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm: 

“These upgrades formed part of the Albanese Government’s ongoing commitment to improve safety on NSW’s regional roads network.

“We’re determined to do what we can, through initiatives like the Black Spot Program, to ensure people who travel on Australia’s regional road network get home safely each time they travel.” 

Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison: 

“The NSW Government’s Regional Emergency Road Repair Fund supports regional councils to continue vital repair and maintenance work following recent severe weather and natural disasters.

“It’s great to see another project completed which will deliver safer, smoother trips for locals.

“We’re committed to working with regional councils to improve their roads and build the roads they need to help their growing communities prosper.”

Quotes attributable to Mayor of Goulburn Mulwaree Council Nina Dillon: 

“This upgrade represents a major investment in community safety. 

“Jerrara Road is an essential connection for residents, visitors, and freight and these works ensure it is safer and more reliable for everyone who uses it.”

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

SANDRA MOON [HOST]: It is 10.37, and you’ve no doubt seen all of the work that has been happening with the Inland Rail Project. There’s been bridge works, track duplication – even a makeover for Wangaratta’s train station is part of the Beveridge to Albury part of the project. And today, that new station is going to officially open. The Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Development, Catherine King, will be there for the formalities, and is with you now. Good morning.

CATHERINE KING [MINISTER]: Good morning, Sandra. Lovely to be here in Wangaratta.

SANDRA MOON: Yeah, it’s a big makeover for the Wangaratta train station.

CATHERINE KING: I’m really looking forward to seeing it. I’ve heard lots about it. This, of course, marks the completion of the work of the first tranche of the Albury to Beveridge section of Inland Rail. Inland Rail is delivering that project on behalf of the Australian Government, and the Wangaratta precinct and the station upgrade, pedestrian underpass, disability standards for the station have been a really great part of the benefit coming to the community from Inland Rail. Not only are we delivering Inland Rail to get freight off our roads as much as we possibly can, but we’re also trying to improve the amenity as we go along the way as we build this project.

SANDRA MOON: And so when we look at Inland Rail for residents in the northeast of the state here, what sort of difference will it make for them?

CATHERINE KING: Well, it’s ostensibly a freight project. So, what we’re trying to do is get from Melbourne to Brisbane. First, we’re doing the section from Melbourne to Parkes to where- and then that allows us to get more freight onto rail. So that’s less trucks travelling on our roads and on our interstate routes in particular, where there’s a heavy load from our heavy vehicles, so trying to get more freight on. So really, Inland Rail delivers that, and productivity and freight.

But as we’ve gone along the road, we’ve actually improved road access. We’ve been improving pedestrian access. In the case of Wangaratta, of course, improving the station and also bringing up its disability compliance as well, which some of these older stations have really struggled with.

SANDRA MOON: And when it’s finished, the Government has promised that freight will get from Brisbane to Melbourne in less than 24 hours. How far off that are we?

CATHERINE KING: Well, we did a major review when we came to government three years ago, the Schott review, to really look at what was happening with Inland Rail. It was a project that had, frankly, blown out in costs. There had been some significant problems in terms of the way in which it was being managed, so we had a lot of work to do to clean that up. We accepted all of the recommendations of the Schott review. What we’ve been concentrating on is getting the Inland Rail project built to Parkes – that opens us up to being able to get freight to the west and also into Port of Botany and into Newcastle. And we’re progressing with the work to get planning approval – we haven’t got planning approval yet – through the rest of New South Wales and then into Queensland, and then we’ll start construction once we’ve got those planning approvals in place. But we’ve had to do quite a bit of work in government to really clean this project up, and there’s some big investments that we’ll still need to make.

SANDRA MOON: Well, it certainly is an absolutely huge project, and I’m sure that there’ll be many people in the local area that are happy to see the completion of some of these as they start to roll out.

CATHERINE KING: It’s a really complex project. It’s over 1600 kilometres of track, which is basically the biggest infrastructure project in the country. And it is also- as I said, it’s interacting between freight and passenger route as well. And so that, again, adds to the complexities. You’ve got to keep passenger trains- you’ve got to be able to keep trains going at the same time as you’re building this really significant infrastructure project.

SANDRA MOON: On ABC Goulburn Murray, you’re hearing from the Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Development, Catherine King, who is also the Minister for Local Government. So, while I do have you, we’ve heard a lot from state inquiries around councils really struggling to make ends meet. You referred the issue to a federal inquiry last year, and councils are expected to struggle even more when the Victorian Government’s new emergency services levy comes into force – which, of course, has been extremely controversial in this part of the world. What will the Federal Government be doing this term to help councils be even more sustainably funded?

CATHERINE KING: Well, the first thing is, as you have quite rightly pointed out, local government is a level of government in and of its own right, and it interacts most closely with state governments, and state governments have responsibilities in relation to local government. At the federal level, we’ve had- we obviously provide millions of dollars in financial assistance grants, which recognises that there is some infrastructure and services that are beyond the capacity of councils to raise rates for in and of their own right. And the Federal Government has an interest, particularly in things like child care and aged care, in terms of those sorts of services, but also making sure that they’ve got untied money for roads.

A while back, we also recognised that because of particularly the 2022 weather events that many councils were struggling, and post-COVID struggling with the costs of keeping up with some of those roads. So, we wanted to make a contribution to that. We’re not responsible 100 per cent for that, but what we did is we doubled the amount of Roads to Recovery, and that’ll steadily climb in our term up to $1 billion dollars. So that’s a billion dollars per year that will be distributed to councils. We received an interim report that was tabled at that House of Reps committee. They’ll, I assume, reconvene and continue with their work and provide the Parliament with a final report, and the Government will look at that and look at the recommendations of what we can implement.

In particular, I think where the Federal Government really is looking for assistance from local government is in the delivery of the 1.2 million homes. Local government has a really significant role to play in assisting, particularly in improving the planning process to get those homes up and built as quickly as possible, and to add to the productivity of the construction sector. So, if we’re going to do things in relation to local government, it will be in relation to issues like that.

SANDRA MOON: Well, we thank you for your time this morning, and I’m sure that you will understand if we’re not unhappy if it does rain just a little bit today, that would be great.

CATHERINE KING: [Laughs] Absolutely. Out my way- my electorate’s Ballarat, and we’re as dry- have been as dry as anything. We’re pretty windy today, so I hear, but just the rain is so, so welcome. Despite the fact that it’s got cold, we really desperately need the rain.

SANDRA MOON:  We do indeed.

CATHERINE KING: It’s terrible to see, you know? What a country. We’ve got drought through South Australia and Vic and WA, and floods in New South Wales. Just horrendous at the moment.

SANDRA MOON:  Yeah. Thank you again for your time.

CATHERINE KING: Good to be with you, Sandra.

SANDRA MOON:  Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Development, that’s Catherine King, who is in in town in Wangaratta for the official opening of the Wangaratta train station as part of the Inland Rail Network, with the sort of Beveridge to Albury part of the project.

Source: Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority

CATHERINE KING [MINISTER]: Well, it is fantastic to be here in Wangaratta today, celebrating the completion of the Wangaratta Rail Precinct, and of course Tranche 1 of Inland Rail Beveridge to Albury. This has been a huge construction process. Inland Rail is building this double-stacked freight route for the Australian Government, and I’m really pleased that as part of that, as part of the need to get double-stacked trains onto Inland Rail, we’ve also been able to upgrade this rail precinct here in Wangaratta at the same time.

Inland Rail is an incredibly big and complex project, over 1,600 kilometres of rail track taking freight off our busy roads. Seventy per cent of our freight task, we are estimating, will come onto Inland Rail once complete. And of course, we’re concentrating on the construction of Inland Rail to Parkes and beyond, being able to unlock the possibilities of getting freight from Melbourne and all the way to Western Australia into the Port of Botany and also to Newcastle. Really delighted, as a part of this project, there have been so many local people from this outstanding district employed on this project, because not only is Inland Rail a freight project, it is also a great employment generator. So, the fact that we’ve seen local electricians, plumbers, construction workers building this precinct here for the people of Wangaratta, I think, is a great testament to the skills and contributing- as part of Inland Rail contributing to the skills growth here in this community.

Inland Rail, as I said, is a multi-billion dollar project. It’s a really significant project that the Australian Government is very proud to be delivering for the Australian people and [indistinct] celebrating this significant milestone here today.

Happy to take any questions.

JOURNALIST: A multi-billion-dollar project for the Australian people – just why is double-stacked freight important to them?

CATHERINE KING: Well, in order to make sure that Inland Rail is viable compared to road, you need to be able to deliver the volume that road can at the time that road can. So, really, Inland Rail is premised on double-stacked trains, 24-hour Melbourne to Brisbane delivery. And that premise is really important to make rail and make sure rail remains competitive against the alternate routes, which is both coastal shipping and of course road freight. What we do want to do is see- we’re seeing a growth in freight across this country. That’s a good thing. But what we’re also seeing, of course, is more and more heavy vehicles on our road, and we want rail to take on a greater share of that. That’s both good for productivity but also good for the economy, for road safety, and for our communities.

JOURNALIST: I mean, more passenger freight through Wangaratta, do you reckon that might create some new opportunities for Wangaratta as well?

CATHERINE KING: Well, obviously the opportunities of Inland Rail to be able to get goods to market in a more efficient way, hopefully in a cheaper way as well, is really significant for Australia’s freight task. We know that it is significantly growing. The demand for Australian goods is growing. The opening up again by the Albanese Labor Government of markets in China has been very important, being able to get goods out of our port but also being able to get goods in and into communities. So white goods from Melbourne up to Brisbane, being able to provide those opportunities for people to sell those in Melbourne, but also for farming communities as well.

And again, with the development of this precinct, what that has also opened up is opportunities for perhaps new businesses to come into this precinct. I’ve heard talk about maybe a brewery behind us there. That would be a great opportunity, market stalls, to be able to use the precinct for other economic opportunities and social opportunities for the people of Wangaratta.

JOURNALIST: You’ve been to a few project openings here at the Wangaratta [indistinct]?

CATHERINE KING: She’s pretty nice, I’d have to say. It’s a really great station precinct. The thing that I’m really proud of as well is the disability access. A lot of our train stations for passengers in particular were built over 100 years ago, and they are not disability friendly. Making sure people can actually access the platforms, access trains safely, but also there’s access [indistinct] and being able to go to the toilet. So those sorts of things, this has really meant that Wangaratta is actually now compliant, as I understand it, with the disability standards, means that we can actually make sure that people with disability can access the train just like everybody else as they always should have been. So that’s something I think the Wangaratta community can be very proud of.

JOURNALIST: How much did these works actually cost?

CATHERINE KING: These works, overall, are well over $100 million. You heard there around about $270 million overall for the overall project, Albury to Beveridge. And the train station here I think was around about $70 million, but I’ll have to check the figures with Inland Rail.

Any other questions? Thank you. Thanks – did you want Nick as well to ask some technical questions about the project?

Nick, you’re up.

NICK MILLER: Nick Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Inland Rail. Look, delighted to be here today to open this precinct. It’s been a long and tough journey for the teams, but the outcome, as you can see around here, is outstanding. Fantastic for the community. Great for their journey to get double-stacked trains from Melbourne to Brisbane. This is a really important milestone for that goal.

JOURNALIST: Can you go through some of the impacts local businesses received as a result of this?

NICK MILLER: Yeah, local business and work construction partner, McConnell Dowell, put an enormous effort into that. Over 1,600 people have worked on this project since its commencement, and around 1,500 of those people have been locals. We’ve spent over $160 million on this project with local businesses and around $10.5 million on this project with First Nations local businesses. We’re really proud of those statistics.

JOURNALIST: Has this been a long time coming today?

NICK MILLER: Well these projects are really challenging. It’s a brownfields environment so we’re operating on an existing track, and on this particular site we’ve really relocated the western track and the dive over another side of the station has been removed. So a lot of that work has to happen during what’s called possessions. So you do a lot of preparation work and we have two possessions notionally a year, and those possessions are for around 60 to 100 hours, and there’s a very intensive period of activity goes on in construction during those possessions. So brownfields projects do take longer than greenfields projects.

JOURNALIST: And this would stack up quite significantly compared to other projects Australia has rolled out in the past?

NICK MILLER: Oh absolutely. This is a significant project. As the Minister spoke of, this is a multi-billion dollar project, Inland Rail. It’s a critically important project for the Australian economy and for the regions of Australia. If we think about the trains that run on Inland Rail, 1.8 kilometres long, double stacked, each one of those trains will take 110 B-doubles off the road. That’s good for safety, it’s good for sustainability, and it’s good for the economy in terms of having an efficient connection between Brisbane and Melbourne and the inland ports along that route.

JOURNALIST: What would be the consequence of taking those B-doubles off the road in terms of the economy?

NICK MILLER: Well, it’s a good question because ultimately if you look at the freight tasks now in 2040, 2050, the freight tasks expect to grow over 26 per cent. So the reality is, the secret here is it’s not just about road and it’s not just about rail. It’s a combination. As our economy grows and the volume of our goods increases, the combination is going to be important for the Australian economy.

JOURNALIST: Just to confirm, is it around $70 million invested here into this project?

NICK MILLER: No, this project from Beveridge to Albury, Tranche 1 was around $300 million.

JOURNALIST: So, the actual Wangaratta project though, how much did that cost? This and the Green Street bridge?

NICK MILLER:        Sorry, I…

All good. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Local member?

HELEN HAINES [FEDERAL INDEPENDENT MEMBER FOR INDI]: Good morning everyone. It’s a big day in Wangaratta for the opening of this new railway precinct as a result of the Inland Rail Project. This is a nation building project for Australia but it has impacts on small towns all the way along the line. So for a regional centre like Wangaratta to transform our railway precinct, to make it more accessible for people, to connect our health services in our town with a modern facility such as this is indeed a good day for our town.

I think what we’ve seen today with Inland Rail, with V-Line, with the federal government, with Minister King, I want to thank Minister King and her government and her department for the way they’ve engaged with me as the Member for Indi in making sure that the work that takes place along the Inland Rail works hand in glove with the community and with community expectations. So what we’ve seen today is a reflection of that. We just saw a community choir coming and having some fun but celebrating the impact of this project on our town.

I’m really impressed with the amount of economic development that’s happened as a result of this project. We heard today from Inland Rail some astounding statistics about the numbers of local businesses and input into this project. That has a trickle-down effect right across our community. But what we’re left with actually is a legacy, and this legacy is one where we do see, from this day forward an improvement to our town. Better parking, better disability access, better and safer access to the trains and a beautiful new precinct that connects and helps us to the main part of our city. So very, very proud and happy to be here today to celebrate this.

JOURNALIST: This seems like a significant improvement for Wangaratta moving into the future with the projected population growth. So I suppose this is bringing services and infrastructure up to standards to meet that growth.

HELEN HAINES: Yes, indeed. This is a growing regional city. We’ve seen net migration out of the city’s inter-country areas such as ours since COVID and we need to make sure that the infrastructure matches the population growth. What I’d like to see now of course is improved engagement, improved services when it comes to the numbers of trains available on our timetable and additional carriages for example. We’ve seen the numbers of people using the train increase with the changes in fares and I think we’re only going to see more and more growth as people come and realise what a fantastic facility this is.

So that’s the next part of the work of course is to make sure that the services can match the facilities here, but primarily this is a project for freight, not a project for passengers, but to get both improvements is a really significant thing and a great thing for Wangaratta I think, and of course we’ve got work happening further down the railway line in Benalla and in Euroa.

JOURNALIST: Obviously not your issue but you touched on getting more services through here, and I think a lot of people would like that.

HELEN HAINES: Look, absolutely they would. The numbers of people who are now using the services has grown exponentially, and that’s a result of good service and affordable fares. So, we need to put all of those things together. But what we’re here today to look at is the infrastructure, and we need infrastructure projects of this magnitude in rural and regional Australia and certainly across the electorate of Indi, so I’m very pleased with the result that we’ve had here today. It’s been years in the making. Lots of relationships along the way, but I think what we’ve seen today is how when people work collaboratively in good faith with clear intent, we can get a great outcome.

JOURNALIST: We’ve heard some ideas about maybe a brewery going up around here. Have you got any ideas what you’d like to see?

HELEN HAINES: I just heard that for the very first time, and well, who’s going to argue with a new brewery right? But I think what this has created is a reimagining of this space. I’ve lived in this town for nearly 40 years and this area of the railway precinct is one we’ve turned our back on for a long time. But now I think I’m certainly seeing it with new eyes and clearly other people are too. I can see community usage of this space in all sorts of imaginative ways, and who knows, maybe that may include a brewery. But you know, we have the North Eastern Hotel right across the road there, and I think we’ll see usage of this space in whole new ways.

Okay, thank you.

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

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