The Australian Population Research Institute, Research Report, June 2024 - Labor’s Big Build Hits A Dead End – What’s Next?

The Allan Labor Government acknowledged that it was time to rein in the Big Build during the release of the Victorian 2024-25 Budget. [...] This was composed of the many beneficiaries of the Big Build (including the construction trade unions, the businesses profiting from rapid growth in Melbourne’s population, together with the public servants and health, education and welfare workers providing the services for the expanding population). [...] On May 15 after the release of the Commonwealth’s 2024-25 Budget Papers, Tom Elliott of 3AW asked federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers if the Labor Government intended to add to the $2 billion it had already committed to the SRL. [...] To sustain the Big Build in a context where the Federal Government is a minor contributor to the capital required, the State will have to levy additional taxes, making it less attractive as a location for footloose capital and business investment. [...] 9 LABOR’S BIG BUILD HITS A DEAD END – WHAT’S NEXT? The Allan Government is mute on the issue of alternative uses of the funds it has leg-roped to provide for the Big Build.