Dr Jonathon Deans
Australian Government expenditure on communications and
transport infrastructure in 2019–20 is estimated to be $9.0 billion,
representing 1.8 per cent of the Australian Government’s total expenditure.
Expenditure included under this function includes:
Table 1: total
communications and transport expenditure
($ million) |
2018–19 (est.) |
2019–20 (est.) |
2020–21 (est.) |
2021–22 (proj.) |
2022–23
(proj.) |
Communication |
964 |
1 466 |
1 478 |
1 394 |
1 341 |
Rail transport |
1 134 |
1 001 |
991 |
1 439 |
1 818 |
Air transport |
355 |
350 |
317 |
300 |
277 |
Road transport |
5 016 |
5 587 |
5 773 |
5 925 |
7 033 |
Sea transport |
438 |
444 |
448 |
450 |
475 |
Other transport and communication |
198 |
190 |
219 |
209 |
205 |
Total |
8 105
|
9 038
|
9 226
|
9 717
|
11 149
|
Note: Figures may not add due to rounding.
Source: Australian Government, Budget
strategy and outlook: budget paper no. 1: 2019–20, 2019, p. 5–31.
Figure 1: breakdown of communications and transport
infrastructure expenditure

Source: Australian
Government, Budget
strategy and outlook: budget paper no. 1: 2019–20, 2019, p. 5–31.
Total expenditure on
transport and communications is expected to grow by 15 per cent in real terms
between 2019–20 and 2022–23, primarily reflecting increases in funding for rail
and roads infrastructure.
Table 2: significant policy announcements
$million |
2018–19 |
2019–20 |
2020–21 |
2021–22 |
2022–23 |
Building Better Regions Fund–round four |
- |
39.7 |
108.3 |
48.3 |
9.9 |
Infrastructure Investment Program — New
South Wales infrastructure |
25.0 |
25.0 |
32.0 |
49.0 |
135.5 |
Infrastructure Investment Program —
Queensland infrastructure investments |
- |
- |
5.0 |
105.0 |
203.0 |
Infrastructure Investment Program — Road
Safety and Upgrade Package |
- |
200.0 |
200.0 |
200.0 |
200.0 |
Infrastructure Investment Program—Roads
of Strategic Importance— next priorities |
- |
- |
100.0 |
150.0 |
200.0 |
Infrastructure Investment Program—Urban
Congestion Fund—next priorities |
- |
400.0 |
400.0 |
400.0 |
400.0 |
Infrastructure Investment
Program—Western Australian infrastructure |
- |
17.5 |
60.0 |
233.5 |
132.0 |
Source: Australian Government, Budget
strategy and outlook: budget paper no. 2: 2019–20, 2019, p. 123–146.
Transport
The Government has announced that infrastructure spending
will increase to $100 billion over 10 years but there has been comparatively
little change to spending over the current budget period:
Equity investments in
infrastructure projects, such as the Western Sydney Airport and Inland Rail, are not included as an
expense measure with the Budget.
Communications
The Regional
Broadband Scheme was announced in 2017 to fund certain loss-making NBN
services through a levy on profitable NBN services. The Government has reduced
the levy cap on the service from $10 to $7.10 per month per premises and has
provided certain exemptions. This has a negligible impact on the Budget. The
Scheme is the main driver of communications expenditure over the Budget
period.
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