East Gippsland will be guaranteed its fair share of infrastructure investment under The Nationals’ Plan for Regional Victoria after years of Labor pouring billions into metropolitan projects plagued by cost blowouts, waste and corruption.
The Nationals’ candidate for Gippsland East, Gemma Rendell, and Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, said the centrepiece of the plan – a Fair Share Guarantee – ensures at least 25 per cent of all new government infrastructure investment was directed to regional Victoria.
“Regional Victorians make up around a quarter of the state’s population, yet we currently receive less than 12 per cent of new infrastructure investment,” Ms Rendell said.
“This isn’t about asking taxpayers to find more money. It is about regional Victoria getting its fair share of the infrastructure dollars that are already being spent.
“For years we have watched Labor pour billions into Melbourne while major projects have suffered enormous cost blowouts and taxpayers have picked up the bill for waste and corruption.
“At the same time, our country roads have deteriorated, regional hospitals need investment, police resources are stretched and local schools and other essential infrastructure are crying out for attention.
“Labor has racked up a massive debt and we have so little to show for it. Change is needed.
“We know a new government will inherit a financial disaster. That makes it even more important that every taxpayer dollar is spent wisely and that regional communities receive their fair share.”
Mr Bull said achieving a 25 per cent share would, in effect, deliver a significant funding boost to regional communities without increasing overall government expenditure.
“If regional Victoria is home to one in four Victorians, it is entirely reasonable that we receive at least one in every four dollars of new government infrastructure investment,” Mr Bull said.
“For East Gippsland, that means a fairer opportunity to secure the investment we need in roads, hospitals, police stations, schools and other essential community infrastructure.
“It also sits alongside our commitment to stop the waste, corruption and uncontrolled cost blowouts that have cost Victorian taxpayers billions,” he said.
Ms Rendell said the guarantee changes the equation. It means regional Victoria can no longer simply be pushed to the back of the queue while billions are swallowed up by metropolitan cost blowouts.
Caption: The Nationals’ candidate for Gippsland East, Gemma Rendell, and current MP Tim Bull say that, with The Nationals’ in government, regional Victoria will receive its fair share of infrastructure funding.
