Re: Section 61 >> Rail funding.

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"Maurie Daly" <mauried@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
mauried.452.00BCCE13@tpg.com.au">news:mauried.452.00BCCE13@tpg.com.au...

> Maybe Im missing something here,but exactly where does S96 say anything
about
> road funding.
>
> This is Sect 96.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> THE CONSTITUTION - CHAPTER IV SECT 96
>
> Financial assistance to States
>
> 96. During a period of ten years after the establishment of the
Commonwealth
> and thereafter until the Parliament otherwise provides, the Parliament may
> grant financial assistance to any State on such terms and conditions as
the
> Parliament thinks fit.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> I dont see the word roads mentioned here at all,unless I have an old copy.

It is not an old copy, I don't think s.96 has been the subject of a
referendum, in which case it is the same now as it was in 1901.

> What is here though which is relevant is the second paragraph which is the
> Parliament has the right to determine the terms under which funding will
be
> given.

There is only one paragraph.

> Since currently ,funding is available only when significant rail reform
has
> been achieved,and the lack of rail reform can be blamed squarely on State
Govt
> inaction,its obvious why there isnt Federal funding.

And there has been signifigant reform in the areas of health, education,
etc., all of which receive federal funding?

It is only recently that we have had uniform road rules throughout
Australia. An example is the case where traffic turning right had right of
way over traffic turning left, but only in Victoria. There are plenty of
other examples, some of which were standardised a few years back, some only
in the last few months.

Federal road funding did not depend on any reform of the road system, or
standardisation of road rules across Australia. It was seen (correctly) as
the correct and appropriate thing to do.

There is nothing to stop the federal government from adopting the exact same
attitude to rail funding. They are using the excuse of the states not
wanting to give up their systems as a convenient excuse to not provide
funding.

Dave