No love for ALP cash splash from NSW govt

Labor Leader Bill Shorten has promised $6 billion in federal funding for two western Sydney rail projects but the government says the plan is $20 billion short.

Bill Shorten

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance doubts Bill Shorten's multi-billion dollar promises. (AAP)

The NSW transport minister has refused to say if he would welcome $3 billion in funding for a western Sydney metro from a federal Labor government.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Sunday promised to hand $3 billion to NSW for the Metro West project if elected, but Andrew Constance wouldn't say whether he was happy with the cash commitment.

Mr Shorten also committed another $3 billion to the Western Sydney Rail, linking the city to a new airport.

Mr Constance accused Mr Shorten of being untrustworthy with infrastructure spending and refused to answer questions on whether the extra cash was good news for his own government.

"I think we're very entitled to say to Bill Shorten and (NSW Labor leader) Luke Foley today 'given your track record in this state in terms of infrastructure delivery, how can you be believed?'" the transport minister told reporters on Monday.

He was joined by federal Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher, who claimed there was a $20 billion blackhole in Labor's commitment for a rail link to the airport.

Mr Fletcher said the federal government had scoped the plan over two years and came up with a cost of $21-26 billion for up to 80km of new rail.

"Even if that's matched by a future state government that's still a $20 billion black hole," he said.

In the final NSW Labor conference before both state and federal elections, Mr Shorten also promised $300 million in federal funding for parking facilities near public transport amenities.

Mr Constance said Mr Shorten was a long way from delivering in full for both projects.

"Luke Foley yesterday said that his Christmas stocking was full ... in fact if he opened his Christmas stocking he'd find next to nothing from Bill Shorten, who's short on ideas and certainly short on cash."


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Source: AAP


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