Political priorities over safety?

Federal Minister for Infrastructure Anthony Albanese says that expressions of interest for the Urunga bypass will be called for in a fortnight.

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FEDERAL Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Anthony Albanese says action on the Pacific Hwy upgrade between Nambucca Heads and Urunga is only a couple of weeks away.

"Expressions of interest will be called for in a fortnight and we'll call for tenders in May," Mr Albanese said.

The tragic double fatality that occurred at Urunga on January 8 has seen calls for the work to be moved forward.

Mr Albanese said the accelerated action on the work is due to an additional $1billion in funding the Federal Government brought forward in the last budget, not a knee-jerk reaction to the horrific accident.

He added that the Gillard government is fully dedicated to ensuring the safety of the Pacific Hwy.

"We need to ensure the highway is fully duplicated, we're committed to that and the State Government says it's fully committed to that by 2016," he said.

"This should be done on a 50-50 basis but the argument is over the State Government attempting to say they shouldn't put in their share of funding because during the period of the Howard Government, the Howard Government spent $1.3 billion and the State Government spent $2.5billion.

"Since we came to office, we've accelerated funding, the largest ever funding commitment for any road project in Australia's history. It's now up to $4.1billion committed from us."

Mr Albanese personally contacted the Advocate after local state member Andrew Fraser claimed that the Leader of the Federal House had been a driver in the "greatest act of political bastardry that I've seen in my time as local member".

NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay said that the Federal Government failed to prioritise the Pacific Hwy upgrade between Nambucca Heads and Urunga as advised and instead directed funds to the upgrade of the Oxley Hwy in the electorate of independent MP Rob Oakeshott.

Mr Fraser didn't hold back in his attack on the Federal minister.

"To play politics with a so-called independent in another electorate on the Pacific Hwy, which is taking lives, to me is totally unacceptable," he said.

When discussing the Federal Government's additional Pacific Hwy investment from the budget, Mr Albanese said there was one vital member of the state national party who was satisfied with the action and he suggested Mr Fraser sit down and have a chat with him.

"That was welcomed by Andrew Stoner, I think he has been constructive in the discussions that I've had with him and it's a pity Andrew Fraser didn't listen a bit more to his state leader," he said.

While the Minister for Transport hit back at Mr Fraser, he added that the Pacific Hwy is a subject that shouldn't be about grandstanding.

"Both levels of government should move beyond politics and have a 50-50 funding agreement," he said.

"That was the statement of the Howard Government in the AusLink White paper in June 2004, so we're not inventing something out of nothing here.

"We're confirming that we are prepared to do our share and indeed we should do our share, but the NSW government needs to fulfil the commitments that it gave prior to its election in March last year where they made it totally clear they would match the Federal Government's request for $750million, dollar for dollar."