States told to put GST windfall into rail and road or pay price later

<p>State governments ought to plough the windfall from GST into rail and road infrastructure to ensure transport corridors can cope with anticipated freight growth, a spokesman for federal transport minister John Anderson said.</p> <p>Mr Anderson has warned that export performance will suffer unless large sums are invested in the transport corridors &#8211 particularly rail along the eastern seaboard.</p> <p>He also criticised a proposed New South Wales Government charge of $30 on containers into and out of Port Botany by truck as a measure that was pointless given the lack of spare capacity on rail options.</p> <p>Mr Anderson’s spokesman said that state governments needed to spend urgently on infrastructure now to avoid having to pay an even heavier financial, social and environmental price later on.</p> <p>"The states should spend some of the substantial extra money they get from the GST," he said. "They are getting an enormous financial windfall out of the GST." </p> <br />