WESTERN Australia’s Transport Minister, Mr Dean Nalder, announced on July 29 a plan to ensure Perth’s transport network grows in order to cater for the increased population of 3.5 million.

AFTER several years of delays, the state government of South Australia has invited expressions of interest for a $A 238m ($US 182m) jointly-funded state and federal project to separate freight and commuter rail lines at Torrens Junction in the Adelaide Parklands.

THE Australian state of Victoria has signed a seven-year, $A 700m ($US 525m) contract with NTT Data for the continued operation of its myki smart card public transport ticketing system that covers Melbourne and many parts of Victoria.

THE government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has announced funding of $A 10.5bn for new public transport projects and for the ongoing maintenance and support of existing infrastructure and services as part of its 2016-17 budget, which was unveiled on June 21.

THE premier of the Australian state of New South Wales Mr Mike Baird announced on June 20 that the state government will commit $A 12bn ($US 8.9bn) towards the Sydney Metro project over the next four years, with both stages now fully-funded.

THE Australian Capital Territory (Act) government has awarded a $A 710m ($US 515.4m) public-private partnership (PPP) contract to the Canberra Metro consortium to build, operate and maintain the initial 12km phase of Canberra's light rail network from Gungahlin to the city centre.

THE Australian federal government published its 2016-17 budget on May 3 and while transport investment is heavily skewed towards road projects, a decline in future funding for rail foreshadowed in the 2015-16 federal budget appears to have been reversed, albeit marginally.

THE government of the Australian state of Victoria published its 2016-17 budget on April 27, making provision for numerous rail projects and allocating more than $A 3.2bn ($US 2.4bn) to improve public transport.