ALP joins LIbs to no on bypass funding

Hamish Heard
The federal opposition has followed the Howard Government’s lead in refusing to commit Commonwealth funding for the controversial fourth stage of Geelong’s bypass if Labor wins this year’s election.
The Labor State Government had accused the Commonwealth of halting progress on the road after withholding funding for a $125 million flyover linking the bypass to Anglesea Road.
But Labor federal shadow transport minister Martin Ferguson has also shied away from committing to the project.
The Bracks Government announced before last year’s election that it would fund the entire project but allocated half the total in last week’s state budget before calling for federal money.
Mr Ferguson told the Independent this week that federal Labor was yet to decide whether the project “stacks up” economically or satisfied criteria for Commonwealth funding under its Auslink program for roads of national significance.
“These (funding decisions) will not be completed for the whole national highway until the end of June, so we won’t make our decisions until then,” Mr Ferguson said.
“A nationbuilding vision and agenda for transport infrastructure is far too important to be squandered on pork barrelling (before elections).”
In a joint statement denying funding, Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile and Transport Minister Jim Lloyd said Spring Street’s chosen route for the bypass and unwillingness to supply information about the project to Prime Minister John Howard had rendered the fourth stage ineligible for Commonwealth funding.
They said a route option further west could have been completed using state and federal funding already allocated.
The westerly route would also have satisfied Auslink criteria for money to help cover any cost blowouts, they said.
“The proposed fourth section is not on the Auslink national network and is not eligible for Australian Government funding,” their statement said.
Mr Howard had earlier offered to fund the project on the condition Premier Steve Bracks supplied costing information satisfying the Commonwealth’s due diligence requirements.
Member for Corangamite Stewart McArthur accused the state of withholding information and said blaming the Federal Government showed Victoria was “playing political games” with the project.