The Greens have called on Tony Abbott to withdraw his threat to all urban rail funding while the Barnett Government and Canberra bicker over which parts of Perth should be served by light rail.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam said that arguments over an extra 7km of light rail line paled by comparison to the Federal Coalition's plan to abolish urban rail funding.

The Federal Budget is a mixed bag for Western Australia, Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam said tonight.

Senator Ludlam, who has championed light rail for Perth since 2007, welcomed tonight's announcement that the Federal Government would provide $500 million in funding for public transport in Western Australia over the next decade.

"Many people have campaigned for years for a serious funding commitment to light rail in Perth. Half a billion dollars from the Commonwealth for light rail or the airport link is a big win for Western Australia."

Greens spokesperson on sustainable cities Senator Scott Ludlam said the National Sustainability Council's report released today "drives home the need for new thinking on urban planning to deal with growing populations, pollution, congestion, and housing affordability".

"Bad urban planning has turned up bad results. People are struggling to find affordable places to live and are spending more time and money getting to and from work. Poor planning costs the economy and the environment.

The Greens have congratulated a new alliance of peak bodies for taking the initiative with proposals for sweeping urban planning reforms.

"A New Deal for Urban Australia - released today by The Urban Coalition - sets out a vision for fixing Australia's cities and major towns, and is a stinging rebuke to Tony Abbott's destructive stance on urban policy," said Greens spokesperson for sustainable cities Senator Scott Ludlam.

The Barnett Government must reveal the details of their Federal transport funding requests in the wake of Troy Buswell's admission that the Commonwealth will need to pay more than half the cost of the Liberals' promised big transport projects, the Greens said today.

On February 7th Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam attempted to uncover the details of the State's light rail funding application to Infrastructure Australia, only to be told they were confidential.

The Greens, the Property Council of Australia, and the Australian Urban Design Research Centre have developed an ambitious report that demonstrates Perth can accommodate its projected population growth within the existing urban footprint of the city, while also providing a blueprint for vastly improved public transport and boosting affordable housing and local business.

The Greens light rail proposal adapted by the Western Australian Government should not be sacrificed for 'MetroNet', the Greens warned today.

Greens WA state transport spokesperson Lynn MacLaren said scrapping light rail would waste the planning and design work already done and forgo the city-building potential of electric light rail.

"The project is well into its development and should continue. It offers a genuine strategy to reduce congestion and we should not delay in its implementation with 'MetroNet many years away.

A move by Greens Senator for WA Scott Ludlam to have the Federal Government disclose Troy Buswell's attempts to secure federal funding for Perth light rail was defeated by Labor and the Coalition in the Senate today.

Senator Ludlam moved to have the documents made public after Mr Buswell refused to commit to building light rail in Perth and refused to reveal costings.  The Federal Government revealed today that the State Government asked that the details of their application be kept secret.

Rural & Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
Supplementary Budget Estimates October 2012
Infrastructure and Transport
Question no.: 60
Program: n/a
Division/Agency: (IA) Infrastructure Australia
Topic: Perth light rail project
Proof Hansard Page/s: 38 (16/10/12)
Senator LUDLAM asked:

Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has moved to have the Federal Government disclose Troy Buswell's attempts to secure federal funding for light rail in Perth, after the State Transport Minister refused commit to building the system.

Greens (WA) transport spokesperson Lynn MacLaren MLC will move a similar motion in State Parliament when it resumes after the March election.

"Tomorrow I will move that the Senate orders the production of the West Australian government's submissions to Infrastructure Australia for the Perth Light Rail project," said Senator Ludlam.