Mr Gibbons asked the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, upon notice, on 11 August 2003:

(1) For each Road of National Importance (RONI) in each State and Territory, what funding is provided in the forward estimates for each year.

(2) `What funds were allocated to each such road in the 2003 Budget.

(3) On what basis did the Government decide not to allocate funding for the Calder Highway in the 2003 Budget.

(4) Which roads has the Commonwealth (a) commenced, (b) suspended, (c) ceased funding as a RONI since the introduction of the RONI program in 1996.

(5) Does the Government currently designate the Calder Highway as a RONI; if so, (a) for how long will this designation continue, and (b) does designation as a RONI guarantee the Calder Highway 50% funding from the Commonwealth for its upgrade; if not, why not.

(6) Will he explain when Auslink will be introduced and in what ways it will replace RONI funding for unfinished road projects currently designated as Roads of National Importance.

(7) What funds in each year are allocated for which aspects of the Calder Highway upgrade.

Mr Anderson (Minister for Transport and Regional Services) —The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(3) The projects on the Calder Highway for which the Australian Government had committed funding have been completed.

(4) (b) No project has ever been suspended under the RONI programme although payments to Victoria for the Scoresby Freeway are being withheld until Victoria agrees to meet its commitments under the MOU covering Australian Government funding for this project.

(4) (c) Funding for RONI projects ceases after the Commonwealth has paid out its full funding commitment. The Commonwealth has fully met its financial commitment for the following projects:

(5) (a) The Calder Highway was declared a National Arterial road (the category of the Australian Land Transport Development (ALTD) Act used to administer the RONI programme) in June 1997 by the then Minister for Transport and Regional Development. This declaration continues in force until it is formally revoked by the Minister.

(5) (b) The declaration of a road as a National Arterial road is a requirement of the legislation as a precondition to payments being made under the ALTD Act. The declaration does not guarantee or imply any specific level of funding from the Australian Government.

(6) Auslink will be introduced when the Government has finalised its consideration of the white paper, reached the necessary agreements with the States and Territories and the required legislation has been passed. Firm commitments under the existing roads programme will be met and I will examine other transitional issues that arise on their merits as we progress the implementation of AusLink.

(7) Australian Government funding paid to Victoria for Calder Highway projects from 1996-97 through 2002-03 is listed in the table below: