By Luke Voogt
The State Government is playing politics with Great Ocean Road repairs, according to an opposition MP.
“What the Andrews Government needs to realise is this iconic road brings hundreds of millions of dollars into the Victoria’s tourism industry,” South Barwon MP Andrew Katos said.
“You can’t close it every time we have heavy rain because Daniel Andrews and (Transport Minister) Luke Donnelan are refusing to spend money on it.”
The road runs through Mr Katos’s seat and Polwarth, which are both Liberal electorates.
“If you’re a Liberal held seat you get nothing,” Mr Katos said.
“If the Government can fund $10m to upgrade Trades Hall in Carlton why can’t they fund Australia’s most iconic road?”
Mr Donnellan blasted Mr Katos’s comments, saying the Government had made a number of additional commitments to the road.
“This is not the time for petty political games, not when people’s safety and livelihoods are on the line,” Mr Donnellan said.
“Crews have been working day and night for the last few months to ensure safe access for residents and tourists on the Great Ocean Road.”
Mr Donellan said the Andrews Government had spent millions of dollars on recent projects along the road, with more in the pipeline.
State coalition MPs have criticised the Andrews Government following federal Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson’s calls for extra funding.
Ms Henderson called on the Victoria to match Canberra’s $25 million commitment to the road.
The funding was in addition to a joint $50 million state and federal commitment in 2014, which was intended to last until 2018.
VicRoads regional director Mark Koliba said the authority had spent more than $30 million of the funding on the ocean road, including $8 million from each government in the last financial year.
