Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended allocating $660 million to commuter car parks in Liberal and marginal seats before the last federal election.
A damning auditor-general’s report found the scheme was not effective or merit-based, sparking savage criticism from Labor.
Not one of the 47 commuter car park sites promised by the coalition at the 2019 election was selected by the infrastructure department.
Mr Frydenberg said the scheme was designed to ease pressure on roads, while helping commuters travel more quickly and safely.
“We were responding to the need where there is congestion on our roads because people are taking the driving option as opposed to using the public transport,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.
He argued the Labor Party had its own $300 million park and ride program.
The opposition’s fund had an application process for local or state governments to prove projects were the most cost-effective use of the land.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who was the party’s infrastructure spokesman before the last federal poll, blasted the coalition spending as an absolute disgrace.
“This pork and ride scheme included commuter car parks where there’s no train station near where the car park is,” he said.
“This was a corruption of proper process.”
He stressed the program was government spending of taxpayers’ money rather than a promise made as part of an election pitch.
Only 11 per cent of the promised sites had started construction by March this year.
Just two of the car parks have been completed.
While Labor describes the fund as “sports rorts on steroids”, the treasurer said the spending was about creating more jobs.
“The auditor-general made a number of recommendations and as the minister has made clear, those recommendations have been accepted,” Mr Frydenberg said.
AAP
Get all the latest Canberra news, sport, entertainment, lifestyle, competitions and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Canberra Daily Daily Newsletter. Sign up here.
Read more:
