Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam today described Tony Abbott's vow to axe Federal funding for rail projects, including $500 million for WA, as "deliberate public transport vandalism".

"After five years, Premier Colin Barnett finally got on board with the Greens Light Rail proposal. Then the Federal Government committed half a billion dollars. Now Tony Abbott is threatening the lot.

"Perth commuters are desperate for alternatives to traffic jams and rising petrol costs. We have solutions in sight, but not if Tony Abbott is Prime Minister.

As the IMF predicts oil prices will double over the next decade, the ongoing failure to fix years of under-investment in public transport has left Australians extremely vulnerable to rising fuel prices, the Greens warned today.

Greens transport spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam said Commonwealth infrastructure funds are still pouring into road building while public transport lags far behind, despite warnings from the International Monetary Fund and the Government's own BITRE 117 report that the price of oil is set to skyrocket.

On some days, budget estimates committees feel broken. Picture this. A handful of opposition Senators who still haven't come to terms with being in opposition decide to tie up the committee on some faint hope of uncovering a scandal or shopping a 'gotcha' moment to the channel-hopping press gallery. These painfully banal cross-examinations can go on for hours. And. Hours.