Abbott Government Continues To Shortchange And Mislead Victorians
The Abbott Government continues to mislead and neglect Victorians on infrastructure, Treasurer Tim Pallas said today.
Mr Pallas was responding to the release today of the Sticking To Our Plan: Backing Hard-Working Australians pamphlet by Tony Abbott.
In the brochure, East West Link, Regional Rail Link and Princes Highway West are listed as major infrastructure investments.
It shows that Tony Abbott continues to ignore what Victorians want.
Victorians rejected the East West Link – a road which lost taxpayers 55 cents in every dollar invested – at the November State Election. Tony Abbott himself referred to the Election as a referendum on East-West Link, his behaviour since then breaking yet another promise to Victorians.
It also shows Tony Abbott misleading Victorians on Regional Rail Link. The rail project was in fact funded by the former Labor Federal Government and the Victorian State Government.
What the pamphlet doesn’t set out is the extent to which Victoria continues to be short changed by the Abbott Government when it comes to their fair share of infrastructure spending.
Analysis of the federal infrastructure carve-up shows Victoria is currently allocated an annual average of just $83 per person over the five years to 2019.
This is well below the national average, with Queensland receiving $342, Western Australia $282 and New South Wales $271.
Quotes attributable to Treasurer Tim Pallas
“This is a glossy pamphlet that has nothing new for Victorians. Its only use is in highlighting how Tony Abbott continues to ignore the wishes of Victorians, and keeps on short-changing them.”
“The Abbott Government isn’t offering anything new to Victorians on infrastructure. Victoria receives less than 9% of national infrastructure spending, despite making up almost 25% of the population and contributing just as much to the nation’s economic output.”