Wannon MP Dan Tehan has vowed to push ahead with millions of dollars worth of Princes Highway upgrades and drag the state government "kicking and screaming" to do its job.
Mr Tehan said he would push to honour his election commitment straight away which includes a $60 million upgrade between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and another $80 million on roads around Portland.
After the new federal government cabinet was sworn in on Wednesday, Mr Tehan said he contacted the officer of the deputy Prime Minister about leading the way on the roads funding.
"I will be going to see the deputy Prime Minister and seeing whether we can look to put our investment immediately into our local roads and then basically see if we can drag the state government along kicking and screaming to do its job," he said.
"We need to get the money spent. I want to get cracking and I'm not going to wait for the state government because we're sick of waiting for the state government."
Mr Tehan said the federal government might give the state government the option of spending $140m for south-west road upgrades now and the state government could chip in its 20 per cent - or $28 million - in the third or fourth year of the project.
He said that meant the works could "basically get going without the state government".
"When I made the announcement for this road funding I was very clear that the money is there," Mr Tehan said.
"We would like some commitment from the state government, but if the state government can't commit what I want to see is us be ready to put our money into the roads and then hopefully we might see the state government come to the party down the track."
He said when the federal government handed out road funding, it was usually matched 50/50 or at a minimum the state would chip in 20 per cent.
Mr Tehan said they needed to sit down with the state government and work out contracts and "make sure they will spend it where we want it spent".
He said the money was there, but the government just needed to "get on with it".
"Given the state budget and what looks like a reduction in regional and rural road funding, obviously what we've seen from the state government is a reluctance to spend money outside of Melbourne which is incredibly disappointing," he said.
Mr Tehan said he would not stop applying pressure to secure even more money for south-west roads in future budgets.
The $80 million set aside for roads of strategic importance includes the Princes Highway as well as the Henty Highway and Portland-Casterton and Portland-Nelson Roads.
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