It is very hard to build toll roads and make money.
(Clem7 - collapse; AirportLink - about to collapse; Lane Cove in Sydney with 5m people - collapsed; Harbour bridge tunnel - collapsed)
Improve infrastructures, improve productivity and economy. If government is worry about NOT making enough money from infrastructure, then NO copper wires for Telstra will ever been build 100 years ago. We can all use foam cups to make calls.
Government doesn't want to spend money on roads, just collect petrol tax & car regos. Most important roads are by private sectors in Sydney & Melbourne.
Sydney railway is lossing money (same as Brisbane railway). If private company is to build Sydney railway (ie every line) with debt 100years ago, it will also bankrupted like Clem7, Lane Cove etc. But what if Sydney has no railway, how will city cope with cars & buses? How productive it will be?
What bought the world out of the Great Depression in the '30s? Government built their way out with infrastruture spending including Sydney Harbour bridge (only now finally paid off).
They were not worry about return on investment. If they were worry about return on investment, Sydney Harbour Bridge will never been build, Sydney Opera House will never been build. Today the Opera house doesn't make much money, but attract international tourists who spend their money in other Sydney businesses.
Don't forget after the concession period (eg 40 years) the toll roads return back to government. Essentially shareholder's asset (toll roads) return to tax-payers. Why don't we ask BHP/RIO's railways for iron ore mining return to tax-payer? IMO government needs to do more to get projects over the line. Which bank will fund next toll road project?
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