Road or Rail? The partisan politics of urban transport policy in the Australian States

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of “what is ‘Labor’ about state Labor governments?” by comparing the policies of the two sides of politics in respect of public transport. It postulates a clear difference that should be manifest in Labor’s preference for rail and the Coalition’s preference for roads. To test that proposition it conducts a longitudinal comparison within one state (Western Australia) and triangulates that by surveying across jurisdictions.