Federal election: Victoria keeps heat on Barnaby Joyce over infrastructure funding

A Victorian Labor Minister has accused Barnaby Joyce of “sandbagging” Queensland and NSW seats after a recent infrastructure announcement.

A Victorian Labor Minister has accused Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce of trying to “sandbag” seats in Queensland and NSW after he announced Victoria would receive just $21.04 million as part of remote road funding.

Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll took aim at Mr Joyce following last week’s announcement that the federal government will spend $150 million fixing 33 remote roads across the country.

Queensland has received the bulk of the funding with almost $60 million to be spent on 13 projects followed by NSW with more than $33 million allocated to nine upgrades.

Victoria has only two roads to be funded under the program with $21.04 million.

“Once again, the Deputy Prime Minister is talking through his hat,” Mr Carroll said.

“Over and over, he continues to ignore Victoria, while trying to sandbag seats in other states.

“He needs to remember Victorians are Australians too and finally deliver our fair share of infrastructure funding.”

The criticism from Mr Carroll follows tension between Mr Joyce and his Victorian infrastructure counterpart Jacinta Allan bubbling over at the recent opening of the $323 million Echuca-Moama bridge.

Roads and Road Safety Minister Ben Carroll Picture: NCA Newswire

One project in NSW, the upgrade of the Clarence Way from Bonalbo to Urbenville, is partly in Mr Joyce’s own electorate of New England and is receiving $16,086,320.

The two projects in Victoria are the Chatsworth-Woorndoo remote roads upgrade in the Moyne Shire worth $11,178,491 and integrating Mansfield’s productivity, agricultural communities and tourism route with an allocation of $9,865,256.

A spokesperson for Mr Joyce defended the funding carve up.

“Projects funded under the Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program are brought forward by local councils and are assessed by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications,” they said.

“When considered in the context of the number of projects put forward for consideration across the state, Victoria has done well under this funding round.

“This funding builds on the $35.5 billion we’ve committed towards 271 major infrastructure projects in Victoria since 2013.”