CONFIRMED: ELECTION + AUSLINK = THE GREAT PORK BARREL
Revelations yesterday that senior Howard Government ministers had told transport experts which road projects should be funded based on marginal electorates showed a dangerous practice that meant important road safety projects around the country would be neglected, Victorian Minister for Roads and Ports Tim Pallas said.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Revelations yesterday that senior Howard Government ministers had told transport experts which road projects should be funded based on marginal electorates showed a dangerous practice that meant important road safety projects around the country would be neglected, Victorian Minister for Roads and Ports Tim Pallas said.
In Senate Estimate hearings yesterday the Deputy Secretary of the Department Of Transport And Regional Services, Susan Page, confirmed a culture of pre-election pork barrelling, particularly regarding the $250 million AusLink Strategic Regional Program infrastructure funding.
Deputy Secretary Susan Page said to Senate Estimates: “In relation to the process for this program, the government has advised the department of a list of projects for which it would like funds allocated conditional upon councils coming back within a month saying that they can meet the conditions.
“That list included some applications from the previous program rounds which were unsuccessful and other projects which the government has advised us are priorities.”
Mr Pallas said this was in direct contradiction with a joint media release from Mark Vaile and Jim Lloyd on Federal Budget night where they said:
“As a result of the extra funding in 2006-07, we will be able to make more funding offers in response to the applications we received from councils. The Government will announce the successful projects in the near future.”
Mr Pallas said yesterdays revelations only confirmed what the Bracks Government had been saying all year – Victoria is getting ripped off on road funding because we do not have the marginal seats the Howard Government wants to win.
“Mr Vaile and Mr Lloyd also said on Budget night in a media release that ‘Victoria will also receive a fair share of the $22.3 billion in new land transport funding that the Government announced today’, which clearly has not happened,” Mr Pallas said.
“Victoria generates 25 per cent of Australia’s Gross Domestic Product, is home to 25 per cent of Australia’s population, and contributes 25 per cent of fuel excise collected by the Federal Government, but because we don’t have many federal marginal seats we received only 14.1% of the $250 million of Commonwealth transport funding announced as part of this years budget.
“There is nothing ‘fair’ about that.”
Victorian councils previously submitted a range of projects to the Federal Government for AusLink funding consideration which will positively contribute to regional economic development.
“Last week, I asked the Federal Government to meet with the Municipal Association of Victoria and I to actively discuss regional Victoria’s strategic road needs. As yet, there has been no response,” Mr Pallas said.
Mr Pallas said the Victorian agricultural and manufacturing sectors were strongly export–focused and of national-importance. Victoria accounts for 87 per cent of Australia's dairy exports, 39 per cent of horticultural exports, 37 per cent of wool and fibre products exports and 25 per cent of food exports.
“Over the next decade, strong growth is set to occur in sectors that rely on efficient transport networks for freight exports and to serve domestic markets, including timber plantations in south western Victoria, mineral sands, dairy, horticulture and processed food,” Mr Pallas said.
“Unfortunately, the Federal Government has short changed Victoria for too long - and for purely political reasons.”
Published by:
http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/
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