South-West Coast MP Roma Britnell has called on the state government to dedicate a third of the Port of Melbourne lease proceeds for regional and rural areas to western Victoria.
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Mrs Britnell met with Polwarth MP Richard Riordan on Thursday morning on a damaged section of the Hopkins Highway near Ellerslie to discuss the need for a significant part of close to $1 billion to be invested in transport in the region.
She criticised the state government for not having a definitive plan for the money.
"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and we're quite confident that the money won't be used strategically,” Mrs Britnell said.
“There is no reason not to understand exactly what is happening with that money.”
Mrs Britnell also said recent small-scale repairs on the Hopkins Highway undertaken by local council had disintegrated after rainfall, making them a waste of money.
Earlier this week Roads Minister Luke Donnellan announced a $25 million fund for regional and rural roads as a result of the $9.7 billion Port of Melbourne lease.
“The Andrews Labor Government has ensured that dedicated funding will go to regional and rural Victoria, helping create jobs and increasing investment in vital infrastructure,” Mr Donnellan said. “Mrs Britnell’s Liberal-Nationals and her predecessor in South-West Coast Dr Napthine wasted four long years in government and achieved nothing for regional Victoria.”
