The Andrews Labor Government has been caught short-changing Victorians on the Murray Basin Rail Project.
Reports today raise serious questions on the Andrews Government’s claims it’s delivering $220 million towards the project.
Leader of The Nationals Peter Walsh said farmers and industry in north-west Victoria were furious the Andrews Labor Government’s mismanagement had left the project incomplete and out-of-money.
“As always, nothing is ever what it seems with Daniel Andrews and his city-centric Labor Government,” Mr Walsh said.
“The Andrews Government talk a big game about infrastructure investment, but they’re always being caught out short-changing Regional Victorians.
“Not only has Labor completely failed to properly manage this project, now it looks like they’ve been fiddling the books – probably to tip more into their preferred city projects.”
The Basin Rail project is a transformational opportunity to upgrade and standardise the rail system of north-west Victoria and make it easier for our producers to get their product to port.
Despite Victoria’s share of the project cost being funded in the State Budget before Daniel Andrews was elected in 2014, Labor’s mismanagement has left the project mired in a mess of cost blowouts, missed deadlines and appalling contract management.
Mr Walsh said the Federal Liberal Nationals Government had now contributed $240.2 million towards the $440 million project and it’s unclear what Daniel Andrews has done with the rest of the State funding.
“Daniel Andrews loves to play politics and accuse the Federal Liberal Nationals Government of refusing to invest in Victoria, but here we have another example of the Federal Coalition putting in the lion’s share of funds to make sure Regional Victoria gets the infrastructure it needs and deserves,” Mr Walsh said.
“Only the Premier for Melbourne and his Minister for Excuses Jacinta Allan could inherit a fully-funded, once-in-a-generation project and completely derail the delivery.”