Shorten to offer Victorians ‘better deal’: Andrews

Daniel Andrews was coy on funding for level crossing removals, but said Victorians would receive a “fair go” under federal Labor.

Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has welcomed Bill Shorten’s visit to one of the level crossings his state government has removed, saying a Shorten Labor government would provide Victoria with more infrastructure, health and education funding.

The federal Labor leader and local MP Ged Kearney are this morning holding an event at the Reservoir level crossing in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, with no state government representatives present, despite it being a state-funded project.

Asked whether he was hopeful of securing federal funding for further level crossing removals should Mr Shorten win the May federal election, Mr Andrews said he was confident of a “fair go” for Victorians should Labor win.

“I think that the commitments that Bill Shorten and Labor have made towards a fair go for all Australians, including Victorians, already have us in a position today where we can say that if there’s a Shorten Labor government after the federal election there will be more infrastructure funding, more health funding, more education funding,” Mr Andrews said.

“That’s fundamentally a fair go for Victoria, and that’s all we ask for.”

Mr Andrews said the state government would not be making any level crossing announcements today.

“Bill might have some, but … I’m certain we’re going to get a much better deal when it comes to infrastructure from a Shorten Labor government,” he said.

“Their commitments already in relation to helping to plan the important suburban rail loop, which is so critical in terms of moving people where they need to go, building that turn up and go public transport system, we’ve got no similar commitment from the Morrison minority government.

“We have been short-changed for a long time by this current Liberal-National Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government. Bill Shorten offers a much fairer approach.”