Almost 4000 jobs to be created by $1.1 billion deal to boost roads, rail lines
Thousands of jobs will be created in Victoria by an infrastructure blitz that will fund upgrades for roads and rail, with the regions set to massively benefit from the boost. These are the projects to be funded.
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Shovel-ready projects including rail links and highways will be upgraded and built as part of a $1.1bn federal government plan to supercharge jobs across Victoria.
The Herald Sun can reveal almost 4000 jobs will be created by the infrastructure blitz — including major works on the Shepparton and Warrnambool rail lines — in Tuesday’s federal budget.
After a war of words between Daniel Andrews and Josh Frydenberg over infrastructure funding, Scott Morrison said the commonwealth had worked with Victoria “to invest in the infrastructure that is ready to go and can help rebuild our economy and create more jobs”.
The new federal commitment will cover the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars which the state government had vowed to spend on local road projects during the 2018 election campaign.
More than $315m was pledged by the Premier to upgrade Barwon Heads Rd, but the revised plan will see state contribution drop to $73m, with the federal government forking out $292m.
A $169m upgrade to Hall Rd promised by the state two years ago will now see the federal and state governments each chip in half the costs to get the upgrade completed.
“These projects will keep commuters safe on the road, get people home to their loved ones sooner and provide better public transport links for urban and regional communities,” the Prime Minister said.
The state government will also revise down its promised spend on South Rd in Moorabbin, Narre Warren North Rd and the Western Port Hwy.
Victoria’s regions will be big winners from the extra federal funding, with major rail lines upgraded and duplicated to make moving across the state faster and more reliable.
Trips between Shepparton and Melbourne will be quicker with $320m to upgrade the tracks to allow trains to travel up to 130km/h.
More than $200m will see the Warrnambool to Geelong link upgraded to improve the reliability of service, and help introduce the new VLocity-class trains onto the line.
The government will also bring forward $605 million to upgrade the line between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds with a partial duplication and station upgrades.
Mr Frydenberg said the package would get Victoria moving and unlock the “potential of our regions”.
“These commitments will help to get the Victorian economy moving when restrictions are eased,” the Treasurer said.
The Herald Sun understands the state government has been seeking a cut-price option to complete the problem-plagued $440m Murray Basin Rail project, which ran out of funding last year.
Victoria wants to reduce its funding share of the project, well below the agreed 50-50 split, but the federal government is keen to deliver the project in full.
The commonwealth has also tipped in another $30m to plan a solution to deliver its promised fast rail link to Geelong.
Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge said the package would help Victoria recover from the COVID-19 recession.
“This government recognises the pain many Victorians are going through and we know that jobs and economic stimulus through targeted infrastructure are what is needed right now,” Mr Tudge said.
The Herald Sun revealed on Saturday that Mr Frydenberg wanted Mr Andrews to get on with approving projects that had been promised federal funding — including the East West Link, the Melbourne Airport rail link and fast rail to Geelong — which prompted a terse response from the Premier.
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