A report from Parliament’s Budget Office has revealed that the Andrews government has spent more than double the amount per capita on major infrastructure projects in the city compared to projects in the Victoria region.
Key points:
- A report from Parliament’s Budget Office finds a 19% gap between per capita spending on infrastructure projects in the country and the city.
- The state opposition is committed to allocating 25% of all new government spending on infrastructure to the Victoria region if elected.
- The Labor government is defending its record spending on infrastructure
Infrastructure spending on projects worth more than $ 100 million, like many in the city-centered “big construction” of the government, including the subway and West Gate tunnels, reached $ 15,268 per person in Greater Melbourne. and only $ 7,142 for people living out of town.
For infrastructure spending on all assets, including projects under $ 100 million, the gap between the city and the country narrowed dramatically.
In total asset spending, the government spent $ 18,068 per person in the city and $ 15,245 for a Victorian region, a difference of 19 percent.
The budget office also identified about $ 2.5 billion in spending on projects that were not just metropolitan or regional spending.
Opposition election promise
Liberal leader Matthew Guy and National Party leader Peter Walsh have pledged to implement a regional infrastructure guarantee if elected in November.
Mr Guy’s election promise would make 25 per cent of all new government spending on infrastructure go to projects in the Victoria region.
“Regional Victorians have been lost for too long under city-centered Labor governments,” Guy said.
“Only a Liberal and national government elected in November will treat our regional communities with respect by guaranteeing a fair share of 25% of investment in new infrastructure,” he said.
Steph Ryan and Peter Walsh of the Nationals want spending on regional infrastructure to be tied to population size. (Promoted by Peter Walsh)
Gippsland South Member and National MP Danny O’Brien commissioned the report from Parliament’s Budget Office.
“Per capita, the government has spent about $ 15,000 per person on people in the city and only about $ 7,000 on people in the countryside,” O’Brien said.
“It’s literally half of what the people of the city are getting in terms of infrastructure.
“We don’t think it’s fair and we will try to undo it.”
National Representatives Tim Bull, Peter Walsh, Darren Chester, Danny O’Brien and Melina Bath in Heyfield. (Provided by: Tim Bull)
O’Brien said the party’s guarantee would not mean that projects with a lower cost-benefit ratio would be prioritized.
“All our regional spending on infrastructure will accumulate, especially in light of the increase in population in rural and regional areas,” he said.
The results of the 2018 Victorian election show stronger Labor success in the Greater Melbourne area. (Supplied)
Labor defends regional spending
A Victorian government spokesman said it had invested $ 36 billion in the Victoria region since 2015, five times more than the previous Liberal-National government.
“We are focused on building the largest infrastructure in Victoria’s history, generating thousands of jobs and economic benefits across the state,” the spokesman said.
“Regional Victorians know that the only legacy of national liberals is cuts: cuts in education, cuts in health, cuts in agriculture, cuts in roads and railways.”
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Posted 3 hours, 3 hours ago, dig. May 29, 2022 at 9:05 pm, updated 1 hour ago, 1 hour ago, dig. May 29, 2022 at 11:52 p.m.