‘They don’t even know where Victoria is’

THE Victorian Treasurer has come out swinging against Malcolm Turnbull, saying he is “incapable” of delivering for the state.

THE Victorian Labor Government has slammed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for being “unwilling or incapable” of delivering the big-ticket item in today’s Victorian Budget, the Melbourne Metro Tunnel.

In strident comments while handing down today’s Victorian Budget, Treasurer Tim Pallas said, “I’m not sure that the federal government know where Victoria is.”

The Andrews Government has committed $2.9 billion over the next four years to kick-start the project, and has promised to fund the whole project over the coming decade — without the help of the Turnbull Government.

The tunnel, scheduled to be completed and operational by 2026, would allow more trains to run in an out of the city and provide tunnel rail links on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines through to the CBD.

“While there was hope that Mr Turnbull would support the project, it is now evident that he is unwilling or incapable of doing so,” Premier Daniel Andrews said in a stinging statement today.

Mr Pallas said the project would help enable Melbourne to “take its place among the great public transport cities of the world”.

“Delivering this project is too important really to be delayed and we think if the federal government is indifferent in this area that is unfortunate — we will continue to work with the federal government to see if it is possible to involve them, to include them in this project,” Mr Pallas told reporters in Melbourne this morning.

An artist’s impression of the Metro Tunnel under Melbourne’s Yarra river.

“We just can’t wait. Victorians need to know that we’re serious about delivering this project, we are deadly serious about delivering this project and we will deliver it, with or without the federal government.

“We want to do it with them. This is not about politics, it’s about getting stuff done.”

While Mr Pallas said he was still keen to work with the federal government to fund its big infrastructure projects, he was not afraid to give the PM a kick over the lack of funds the state had received.

“I’m not sure that the federal government know where Victoria is. Certainly, their allocations don’t seem to give much confidence that they do,” he said.

“Victoria seems to be treated as an afterthought in the mind of the Commonwealth.

“The fact that we’re getting nine per cent on returns is one of those depressing realities that say the electoral pendulum seems to be influencing where the allocations are being made.”

Mr Pallas also took aim at the government being willing to provide loans to build infrastructure projects, but not grants.

“It seems that the Prime Minister has an obsession with the idea of being a merchant banker.

“My advice to him would be stop pretending you’re a merchant banker and start pretending you’re a prime minister.

“States need a partner in the delivery of large infrastructure, in the delivery of key services where the Commonwealth have a role, and the fact the Commonwealth might want to give the states a loan is of no interest to the state of Victoria.”