Australia plans transport upgrade

The Australian government has announced it will spend $9bn over the next five years on a major programme to upgrade the country's road and rail networks.

The Transport Minister, John Anderson, described the blueprint as the country's first ever national land transport plan.

He said it has been drawn up in response to rising freight volumes, which are projected to double over the next 20 years.

The plan includes the creation of an east coast railway system to take lorry traffic off the roads. It also envisages upgrading roads between the major eastern cities of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to four-lane highways.

The opposition Labour party has criticised the plan as a ploy to buy votes ahead of general elections which are due by the end of the year.