A WAR of words has broken out between Member for Mallee Anne Webster and a senior Commonwealth Government minister over whether north-west Victoria had any wins in this week’s Federal Budget.
Nationals MP Dr Webster claimed her electorate had been dudded by Labor in the Budget, saying she could not find any projects or benefits for Mallee, Wimmera, Sunraysia, or the Grampians.
But the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, gave an example of how the Mallee would benefit from the increased funding for the Roads to Recovery program.
“In Dr Webster’s electorate alone, the councils will now receive $178,475,215 over the next five years from (this) program,” Ms King sad.
“This is $65,860,443 more than they would have received under the previous Coalition government, of which Dr Webster was a part.”
Dr Webster hit back, saying that “Minister King is being tricky.”
“(She is) overlooking the $3 billion extra over five years into 2024/25 the former Coalition government provided to support councils and maintain and upgrade roads through the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program, which is in addition to Roads to Recovery and local government Financial Assistance Grants,” Dr Webster said.
She then doubled down on her attack against Labor, saying this week’s budget has “no new money for Mallee.”
However, Minister King said there was an additional $1 million of Federal funding for road upgrades along Sunraysia Highway.
“The 2024/25 Budget provides capital for a number of previously underfunded projects in the Mallee which, thanks to this additional funding, can now actually be delivered,” Ms King said.
“As a regional Victorian, I know that local governments need additional support to help with maintenance and repair of country roads.”
Dr Webster said the $300 energy rebate announced in the budget was Labor’s admission that its energy policies had failed.
“Labor is also remaining secretive about water buybacks in its budget and when new road projects will actually be delivered, with most of the funding off into the never-never,” Dr Webster said.
Meanwhile, the Rail Freight Alliance welcomed a $150 million investment in the budget to upgrade the Maroona to Portland line.
“We always knew the need to invest in this line was imperative, given the mineral sands 900,000-tonne annual freight task to commence within two years,” RFA chair Glenn Milne said.
“If this freight was to go by road, it would have been devastating for the communities along the route.”
