Greens Transport and Infrastructure spokesperson Senator Janet Rice has condemned the Morrison government for failing to invest in a green recovery that would create new jobs and build the foundations of a fair, clean economy. 

Instead, the Morrison government is doubling down on transport infrastructure that locks in pollution, props up fossil fuel corporations and will make the climate crisis even worse. 

Senator Rice said: 

“Budgets are about choices, and the Morrison government is making the wrong ones.

The Greens launched an $842 million plan today to deliver express bus services, a new for old replacement fleet of hybrid electric buses, and a new dedicated freight rail line in Western Australia.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said the initiative commits $300 million to providing express bus services and bus rapid transit to 15 hot spots in the metropolitan area, spanning some 60km - including Express Bus Services for Ellenbrook - linking into a North Eastern Bus Rapid Transit Corridor.

Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne and Deputy Leader Adam Bandt have said Labor is playing catch up and has failed to commit to the investment needed to get high speed rail moving.

In contrast to the $55 million announced by Labor today the Greens have committed $664 million over the forward estimates to fast tracking high speed rail by establishing a High Speed Rail Authority, securing the rail corridor and facilitating regulatory requirements and planning. The Greens have also committed an additional $570 million to an Environmental Impact Study.

The Greens have announced a plan to fast track the construction of high speed rail on the Eastern Sea board.

Australian Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne and Deputy Leader Adam Bandt MP have announced the plan at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station and Mr Bandt will outline details of the plan to a conference on high speed in Sydney on Wednesday.

As part of the agreement to support the minority Labor government, the Australian Greens secured a $20 million feasibility study into high speed rail.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam has moved to reveal details of Colin Barnett's rail plans today through a set of Federal Freedom of Information requests after the Premier blocked attempts to uncover relevant documents for the second time.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam today described Tony Abbott's vow to axe Federal funding for rail projects, including $500 million for WA, as "deliberate public transport vandalism".

"After five years, Premier Colin Barnett finally got on board with the Greens Light Rail proposal. Then the Federal Government committed half a billion dollars. Now Tony Abbott is threatening the lot.

"Perth commuters are desperate for alternatives to traffic jams and rising petrol costs. We have solutions in sight, but not if Tony Abbott is Prime Minister.

Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation  Committee

Estimates hearings 16 October 2012

The Barnett Government's failure to include project funding for light rail in the State budget shows a lack of foresight, the WA Greens said today.

The Greens national spokesperson for transport, Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam, questioned whether the Barnett Government took the promise it made 18 months ago to bring light rail to Perth within a decade seriously.

As the IMF predicts oil prices will double over the next decade, the State Government's slow-moving approach to light rail and public transport investment will leave West Australians acutely vulnerable to rising fuel costs, the Greens (WA) warned today.

Greens national transport spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said the Federal Government had allocated four million dollars to WA for light rail despite the Barnett Government apparently neglecting to include the project on its list of priorities for federal funding.