SOUTH-WEST Victorian councils will have a higher chance of receiving more federal government money for road projects next financial year when the national allocation pool doubles.
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Yesterday most of them received news of third-quarter grants in the Roads to Recovery program which assists with construction and maintenance.
Wannon MP Dan Tehan said roads were among of the key issues raised regularly by constituents in his electorate and in other rural regions.
“It’s big in feedback,” he said.
“The fact that the government will provide a one-off doubling of money for Roads to Recovery as of June 30 shows how important regional and rural MPs see the issue.”
Mr Tehan said he and other rural MPs lobbied hard against budgetary cutbacks affecting the program.
Quarterly payments announced yesterday included Moyne Shire $1.6m, Corangamite Shire $965,324, Southern Grampians Shire $793,277 and Glenelg Shire $573,863.
Warrnambool City was not included, but it scored grants totalling $323,708 from other quarters.
Allocations are calculated according to timing and size of projects and the city has a much smaller road network than rural shires.
Mr Tehan said the city’s $1.94m allocation for 2014-19 was about $300,000 more than for 2009-14 financial years.
“Our councils rely on Roads to Recovery funding for road projects chosen by the councils themselves, ensuring that local knowledge delivers the best local roads” Mr Tehan said.