The Liberals’ secret plan to wreck the character of regional Victoria, has been laid bare with an announcement that they are seeking to force more people into the regions with no plans for any extra infrastructure.
It’s a policy that only a person from Kew could write.
The Liberals need to come clean and detail how they will deal with the traffic chaos and infrastructure backlog in our regional cities that will inevitably happen under their secret plan, just to appease Green voters in Melbourne’s inner east.
This is a typical Liberal Party policy - it abandons the outer suburbs of Melbourne and seeks to overcrowd and wreck the character of our regional cities and country towns. All done without a whimper from the National Party.
When last in government, the Liberal’s planning legacy lumped the CBD with soulless skyscrapers and failed residents living outside blue ribbon Liberal heartland.
How can anyone trust this policy when we know that the Liberals always cut health, education and public transport services, all while the National Party say and do nothing.
The Labor Government on the other hand is making record investments in regional Victoria to give it the chance to thrive, attract world class investment and boost jobs.
The Victorian Budget 2016/17 saw a record $1.3 billion spend on regional transport infrastructure, alongside crucial projects in Melbourne’s growing outer suburbs such as the $588 million Mernda rail extension.
Under the Labor Government, unemployment in regional Victoria has fallen to 5.7 per cent.
Whether it’s building the $106 million Drysdale bypass in the Bellarine, or delivering the $518 million Ballarat line upgrade, the Andrews Labor Government is getting on with the critical infrastructure that regional Victorians need to grow and prosper.
We’re getting it done and, unlike the Liberal-Nationals, our actions speak louder than empty promises.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford
“The Liberals should stop thinking about Melbourne’s inner east, and start thinking about Victoria’s regional towns and Melbourne’s outer suburbs.”
“People don’t move to regional towns and cities because of a population policy. They do it because of jobs, high quality schools and hospitals, decent transport links and better family and lifestyle opportunities.”
“Rather than cap Melbourne and grow Geelong – it's spare Toorak and smash Torquay. It's save Brighton and stack Ballarat and Bendigo.”
“This is a policy thought up in Kew, written for Kew and only delivering for Kew.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Suburban Development Lily D’Ambrosio
“The Liberal-National Coalition won’t provide one new job or the services needed by families in our suburbs.”
“Our focus is on building the infrastructure and services our state needs, and creating jobs for Victorian families – across the suburbs of Melbourne and regional Victoria.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020