Fresh Challenges For New Australian Government In Infrastructure and Transport

Following the Australian Labor Party's (ALP) narrow re-election in the August 2010 Federal election, the ALP will need the support of every member of the alliance (including two rural-based independents and Victorian Greens MP, Adam Bandt) to pass legislation through the lower House. In the upper House, the Greens will soon hold the balance of power. In these circumstances the policies advocated by the Greens will be of particular interest with respect to matters relating to infrastructure and transport.

The Greens Party has identified a number of specific principles, goals and measures with respect to sustainable planning and transport including that:

• They believe that Australia's transport system must function on principles of ecological sustainability, equity of access, and public ownership of critical public transport infrastructure.