Yan Yean MP Danielle Green has rejected accusations of funding short-falls for the Mernda rail extension and duplication of Yan Yean Road, labelling the war of words a “deceitful campaign” masterminded by the Coalition.
The Andrews state government’s 2015-16 budget revealed that just $9 million had been set aside for the extension of the South Morang rail line to Mernda. The funds will pay for the development of a business case, site investigations, land acquisition and other project development work for the Mernda rail project.
When Labor promised to deliver the rail extension last year, the estimated cost to build eight kilometres of duplicated track between South Morang and Mernda was between $400 million and $600 million. The Coalition costed the project at $700 million.
About $865,000 will be spent preparing a business case and conducting further planning for the duplication of Yan Yean Road between Diamond Creek and Kurrak roads in Plenty, costed by both Labor and the Coalition last year at $95 million.
Opposition leader and former planning minister Matthew Guy said the road duplication and rail extension had been grossly underfunded.
“I don’t expect the government to be drilling and laying down tracks in its first year, but there should be between $50 million to $100 million there in 2015-16 and then ramp it up the following year,” he said.
“It’s a disgrace.”
Mr Guy said preliminary planning for the project had already been done.
“This project has been sited for years, the railway has been there for over 100 years, the route options are known, the station locations are known,” he said.
“It’s been planned to within an inch of its life.”
But Ms Green said Labor’s plan had always been to finalise planning in the government’s first year before construction could begin in the next.
“If voters feel cheated it’s only because the Opposition is running a deceitful campaign,” she said. “Our commitment was $400 million to $600 million.
“What will happen now is the detailed planning, which will lead to the final figure – that’s why it’s not specified in the forward estimates.”
Mernda Rail Alliances spokesman Darren Peters was happy with the state government’s budget allocation.
“Labor said before the 2014 election that they would allocate the necessary funds for planning in their first budget and the balance of funds for construction in their following budgets so they have kept their promise,” Mr Peters said.
