State budget – what’s in it for us Brumby Labor ‘rolls out the pork barrell’

Alex de Vos
Cash for a bypass link to Surf Coast Highway and land for a new hospital at Armstrong Creek have spearheaded a $170 million funding injection for Geelong.
State Government announced the budget allocations this week as it prepares for elections in November.
The budget’s local funding focus on the marginal Labor-held seat of South Barwon drew allegations of pork-barrelling from the opposition.
Premier John Brumby announced $77 million for the bypass link as the big-ticket item for Geelong in the 2010/2011 state budget.
Mr Brumby also revealed a $33.6 million pledge to buy land for a southern suburbs health hub and to expand acute and intensive care at Geelong Hospital as central to the Government’s spending spree in the region.
The Government also allocated $4.3 billion to fund a Regional Rail Link project, which would deliver standalone tracks for Geelong train services.
Funding for local school projects included $13 million for stage two of the Western Heights Secondary College redevelopment and $9 million for upgrading Manor Lakes P-12 Specialist College.
Other big ticket items for the region included: $10.4 million to begin developing public facilities at Armstrong Creek; $10 million for a Corio Norlane regeneration project; $25 million for a new environmentally sustainable Government Services Building in Central Geelong and $600,000 to boost lifesaving clubs.
Member for South Barwon Michael Crutchfield said the budget would deliver the “right infrastructure for growth to lock-in a prosperous future for the region”.
“The Geelong ring road will further open up Geelong and the Surf Coast to Melbourne, attract more tourists to this stunning part of our state, generate new jobs and drive new investment across the region,” Mr Crutchfield said.
His Liberal opponent accused the Government of pork-barrelling South Barwon with the $77 million bypass pledge.
Andrew Katos said the Government’s intentions were clearly “evident” in the focus on South Barwon.
“They obviously very keen to retain the seat and we’re very keen to win the seat,” Mr Katos said.
He slammed the budget projects for Geelong.
“We all welcome stage 4C of the ring road but a single carriageway each way isn’t going to do the job,” he said.
“It’s interesting they’ve allocated the money to purchase the land for the hospital but that’s about it – there’s no commitment to when they’re going to build it or the size.
“It’s easy to buy a block of land but it could sit there for 10 to 15 years.”