The Municipal Association of Victoria’s (MAV) Transport and Infrastructure Group is continuing its planning for next year with a concentration on the need for systematic federal funding of public transport. Australia remains the only westernised nation in the world where federal funding has consistent not been provided for public transport.

Due the increasing economic burden of rising traffic congestion it is imperative that the federal government provides a national framework for involvement in urban public transport. While federal involvement is required, it does not however, excuse the current State Government from inaction particularly in the failure to provide much needed rail extensions. The State Government has a lot to answer for, and must be held accountable, for its failure to properly manage and extend the public transport system.

Ideally, federal involvement in urban public transport would be provided as a framework for infrastructure projects and require matching funding from the State Government, similar in essence to the existing AusLink scheme.