The Andrews state government’s first budget has fallen short on delivering on major pre-election promises including the Mernda rail extension and the Yan Yean Road duplication.
In opposition, the Labor party loosely costed the extension of the South Morang train line to Mernda at between $400 million-to-$600 million. Yet the 2015-16 state budget, announced on Tuesday, revealed just $9 million has been set aside for the project, which was costed by the ousted Napthine government at $700 million.
According to the budget papers, funding has been provided to develop a business case for the Mernda Rail Link, undertake site investigations and start land acquisition and other development work.
Funding for the duplication of Yan Yean Road is similarly miles short of both Labor and Liberal party costings. Both parties put a $95 million price tag on the duplication of the notorious 3.9 kilometre stretch of Yan Yean Road in Plenty, between Diamond Creek Road and Kurrak Road. Yet just $865,000 has been set aside, with $480,000 to be spent in the 2015-16 financial year.
The budget papers say the funds will be spent on planning and preparing a business case for the road, currently choking during peak-hour traffic.
Other big-ticket election promises such as a new police station in Mernda and schools funding were however matched. The Andrews government has earmarked $15 million for the police station, $6 million will be spent replacing portable classrooms at Mill Park Heights Primary School with new facilities. Hazel Glen College will receive $7.8 million to build stages three and four.
The former government’s Public Private Partnership model will also be expanded to fund Mernda Central secondary school.
Despite promising $10 million last year for a new technical school in Whittlesea, $8 million has been set aside for its planning and first stages of construction.
The government will spend $40.7 million on the O’Herns Road and Hume Freeway diamond interchange, and is now seeking a commitment from the federal government and Whittlesea council to cover the remaining costs of the $70 million project.
Despite not matching the exact amount of money promised for certain commitments, the government has fulfilled most promises it made to Yan Yean residents in the lead-up to last year’s state election.
Surprise funding commitments to come from the budget papers include $50 million for the Interface Councils Infrastructure Fund to assist growth area councils build community centres and playgrounds.
Northern Hospital will receive $29 million to expand its inpatient capacity. But in an affront to the 12 local councils that offer preventive health programs via Healthy Together Victoria, which includes Hume and Whittlesea councils, no reference was made to the continuation of the program beyond June 30.
Whittlesea mayor Ricky Kirkham said the government’s “investment recognises some of the needs of this growing community” but drew attention to the funding shortfalls.
Opposition leader Matthew Guy said the Mernda rail extension has been grossly underfunded.
“The Mernda rail line is one that has been the subject of much debate; it was the subject of a lot of debate during the election. To put barely $9 million toward a project that is most probably around $600 million is an insult to the people of Melbourne’s northern suburbs,” he said.
“The people in the seat of Yan Yean took Daniel Andrews on trust that he would build the railway line he promised he would and he has lied. Labor also said they’d upgrade Yan Yean Road, one of the major infrastructure trunk routes to the northern suburbs from Greensborough, through to Doreen, and Laurimar. Again, funding has been withdrawn.
