Al-anwar Newspaper English news in Australia
Edited by Nelly T.
The Turnbull government has unlocked the earmarked federal funding for Victoria’s East West Link.
Part of the $1.5 billion will go to widening the Monash Freeway, which the state government will cooperatively fund the Prime Minister hopes.
A list of alternative projects that could be funded with the money allocated for the dumped East West Link have been sent to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews by Mr. Turnbull
$10 million has been set aside for the planning and development of the Melbourne Metro, while improving freight rail lines in rural Victoria and upgrading the M80 Western and Metropolitan ring roads are on the list.
“I have no doubt we will support the Melbourne Metro substantially in the future but we’ve got to do the homework right,” Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said.
“I’m very excited by the Melbourne Metro project.”
Mr. Turnbull is expected to make the announcement on Friday and has already arrived in Melbourne.
The announcement confirmed what the state believed for some time Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said.
“We’ve always said the money would belong in Victoria for Victorian projects, I’m pleased to see the commonwealth government has confirmed that now,” Mr. Pallas said.
However compared to NSW’s 39 percent, Victoria only received nine percent of federal infrastructure funding.
“We’re still a very long way short of the mark, but it’s a good first step,” Mr. Pallas said.
He ruled out building the East West Link, which Labor dumped at a cost of $1.1 billion.
“East West Link will not be built by this government,” he said.
