The MAV’s Transport and Infrastructure Advisory Group (TIAG) consists of councillors and council officers who are preparing a response to the infrastructure needs of Victoria within the context of this year’s Federal Election.

To enable this process the group is focusing on three specific areas, of which federal funding for sustainable transport is one of these categories. Only a national framework on urban sustainability will ensure that the improvement of the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of our cities.

Australia remains the only OECD nation where the Federal Government does not provide funding for public transport.

Federal Government programs, such as AusLink, which provide matching funding for road projects, need to be expanded in scope to include urban public transport infrastructure to ensure a holistic approach to the transport needs of our cities. Ensuring matching funding for such projects would also prevent State Governments from simply trying to shift their responsibilities onto the Federal Government.