LABOR has slammed Premier Denis Napthine for making more than $100 million worth of promises in his own electorate, describing it as an “extraordinary largesse”.
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The comments, just five days out from the state election, have been labelled as insulting by a key regional leader who says the pledges are justified.
Leading ALP figure Martin Pakula claimed Denis Napthine was protecting his own backyard, despite both Labor and the Coalition channelling millions more into Geelong and Ballarat.
“I think Denis Napthine needs to explain the extraordinary largesse being shovelled into the seat of South West Coast,” Mr Pakula told ABC radio yesterday.
The Coalition has committed more than $120m towards specific projects in South West Coast while Labor has pledged $5m to only one targeted project so far — Warrnambool Special Developmental School — during the 2014 election campaign.
Great South Coast Group chairman Chris O’Connor said anyone who suggested the region deserved fewer election commitments was “away with the fairies”.
The Corangamite Shire mayor said the region had largely missed out from Spring Street attention for some time and was pleased to see a change of tack during the 2014 campaign.
“For anyone to say that we don’t deserve to have substantial election commitments to south-west projects is away with the fairies,” the Corangamite Shire mayor said.
“I was very frustrated when it was suggested that there shouldn’t have been a $100 million commitment to South West Healthcare stage two. Both parties should make election commitments to this important project. The Coalition has, now it’s Labor’s turn.”
Dr Napthine told The Standard yesterday that Labor had resorted to “abusing me as a candidate” because it had failed to make substantive commitments in the region.
“It’s absolute Labor nonsense and it goes to show how city-centric the party is,” the Premier said.
“The Labor party should say which of the South West Coast election commitments aren’t worthwhile. Because I’m interested in governing for all Victoria, including country Victoria.”
South West Coast ALP candidate Roy Reekie said Dr Napthine’s commitments amounted to “panic buying of votes” in his electorate.
“Denis Napthine started off handing out $250,000 here and $250,000 there but now there’s a desperate rush to spend,” Mr Reekie said.
“We have the highest youth unemployment rate of any other region in the state yet there are no funding commitments to tackle that issue.”
At the 2010 state election, the Coalition committed roughly $28 million in specific funding to South West Coast while Labor pledged $39 million.
