'Visionary project' thrown on the floor: 'City-centric' Labor canned for highway axing

That's according to Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie, the shadow minister for infrastructure and transport, who says the highway duplication was a "visionary" project that didn't deserve to end up on the cutting room floor.

Ms McKenzie was in the Central West this week, including in Orange, to talk about the Albanese Government's planned new vehicle efficiency standard, but she was more than happy to reflect on a missed opportunity to unlock our region's potential.

"That project was meant to open up the opportunities here in the west and connect the west better to the east coast and Sydney in particular," Ms McKenzie said.

"This just shows the city-centric attitude of the Labor Party.

"When [prime minister Anthony] Albanese had my job, he said he was going to be the infrastructure prime minister.

"What he's done instead is cut and delay hundreds of projects around the country. And this project is one of them."

The previous Coalition state government had planned a duplication of the Great Western Highway from Katoomba to Lithgow to be completed in stages, including an ambitious, only partly funded central tunnel.

The new Albanese federal government withdrew the commonwealth funding for the east and west sections of the highway upgrade in November last year and the new Minns state government last year reallocated $1.1 billion set aside for the tunnel.

The federal decision was based on the findings of the Infrastructure Investment Program independent review, which found that some projects were at risk of cost pressures, delays or had been allocated a commitment of Australian government funding too early in their planning process and before detailed planning and credible design and costing were undertaken.

The decision to withdraw the funding from the highway upgrade has been criticised by state MP Paul Toole and federal MP Andrew Gee.

Ms McKenzie, in speaking to ACM, said federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine King was going to do a "short, sharp review into the infrastructure pipeline, which is a $120 billion pipeline, 10-year pipeline of 700-odd projects right around the country" and "it took her over 200 days to get the job done".

"She didn't release it all.

"Instead it's become these political decisions she's made with premiers.

"And unfortunately, this great visionary project that towns like Bathurst and beyond were looking forward to has ended up on the cutting room floor.

"Unfortunately, I think Australians are seeing the reality of a city-focused, an urban prime minister and our job is to highlight the problems with that.

"Because we're all Australians, we're one country, and no matter if you live in the back of Bourke, Bathurst or Balmain, you need to be able to earn a great living, have a wonderful life with your family, buy a house, a car to suit your purposes.

"And I think we're seeing the complete opposite under this government."

Great Western Highway upgrades

When she was in Bathurst last December, NSW Regional Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison said "one of the things that the NSW Government is focused on is delivering strategic regional integrated transport plans".

"They're plans that will look across the whole of the regional network to make sure that we are creating proper precincts where people are able to move from town to town effectively, efficiently and safely," she said.

Ms Aitchison said the Federal Government's infrastructure review had put the east and west section duplications of the highway from Lithgow to Katoomba "completely on hold" and "what we're saying is that we are working with them".

"They want to do strategic corridor assessments and they have highlighted this as one that needs to be done," she said.

In the meantime, small duplications of the highway at Medlow Bath (worth $174 million) and Coxs River Road near Little Hartley (worth $232 million) are going ahead.