Federal MPs have slammed the Albanese Government’s decision to cut over $146 million in funding which would have gone toward sealing 187 kilometres of road in the Dandenong Ranges.
The $146.5 million funding slash was part of $10 billion cuts to infrastructure, with the funds redirected to the Suburban Rail Loop project.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie said Dandenong Ranges residents and businesses are paying the price for the Albanese Government’s deal to deliver $2 billion to the suburban rail loop project ahead of the state election.
The former Coalition Government committed $300 million to help the Cardinia and Yarra Ranges councils seal roads in the Dandenong Ranges.
In the Albanese Labor Government’s October budget they cut $146.5 million funding from the project for those elements where formal contracts had not been signed.
“The Australian Government had a commitment with local community members to seal their roads and that commitment should be honoured,” Senator McKenzie said.
“This is not like many of Labor’s other infrastructure cuts where they sat down with the states and territories to negotiate cuts and delays to projects involving state assets.
“This innovative program was a partnership agreed between the Commonwealth and local landholders and the Cardinia and Yarra Ranges councils.
“Families have put their own money on the table to partner in sealing these roads and it is cruel for Labor to take the money off the table and walk away from the problem.
“We know the Prime Minister took the razor to Victorian infrastructure projects to pay for Dan Andrew’s suburban rail loop, but money for local roads should not have been caught up in that partisan, internal Labor Party deal.
Member for La Trobe, Jason Wood said this is another cost of living hit to families in the La Trobe electorate who will be left to pay a higher cost to seal local roads at a time when household bills keep going up.
“Unsealed roads need extensive maintenance to keep them safe, grading and fixing potholes, as well as use of dust suppressant, all of which has to come from council rates paid by landholders.
“This important project would have helped reduce the burden on ratepayers to constantly maintain the roads in a car-worthy condition.
Member for Casey, Aaron Violi said sealing these local roads is important for the safety of the community.
“Residents have raised concerns about past incidents on these roads and the opportunity for a safer, sealed road network in the Dandenong Ranges to support access for emergency vehicles in the event of bushfire or other disaster.
Senator McKenzie said the Government’s public comments exposed the political nature of the decision to cut funding to this road sealing initiative.
“The Albanese Government should be ashamed of calling this program a ‘special carve-out’ for ‘marginal electorates’ when most inner city Labor MPs have never experienced dirt roads.
“The Coalition was funding road upgrades in every electorate across the nation with a $120 billion nationwide infrastructure investment pipeline and a commitment of $35.5 billion to Victorian road and rail projects since 2013.
“The communities of the Cardinia and Yarra Ranges councils were just benefiting from a fair share of federal funding and the Government should restore this funding in the next budget.”
