Victoria state election 2014: Premier Denis Napthine announces $250m for Tullamarine Freeway

Date
    November 8, 2014


Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declared Victoria's election a referendum on the East West Link, as he joined Premier Denis Napthine to announce another multi-million dollar road upgrade ahead of this month's poll.    

With three weeks left in the campaign, Mr Abbott returned to Melbourne on Saturday for a $250 million pledge to finish widening the Tullamarine Freeway, which the Coalition says will cut commuter times and reduce road fatalities.

While there were there no awkward hugs between the leaders this time, the Prime Minister was keen to highlight the significance of road projects for Victoria, while Premier Denis Napthine was at pains to point out the importance of road and rail.


The Tullamarine Freeway will be widened under the Coalition's plan.

"This election is about many things, but in the end, it is a referendum on the East West Link. It is a referendum on the plan that this Premier and no one else has, to build a modern 21st century with 21st century infrastructure," Mr Abbott said.


Asked if he agreed with the Primer Minister's views, Dr Napthine said the election was about "who you can trust to deliver key infrastructure that makes a real difference to the people of Victoria - and that includes East West link, Melbourne Rail Link, the Tullamarine project we're talking about today."

Under the government's latest pledge, the Tullamarine Freeway would be widened between Melrose Drive and the Airport, cutting peak travels times by 20 minutes and reducing fatalaties on that road by up to 20 per cent.

The project would add an additional lane in each direction, complementing an earlier $850 million deal with CityLink operator Transurban to widen the road from the West Gate Freeway to Melrose Drive. It would also involve a managed motorway system and a priority queuing system for Skybus access.

If the Coalition is re-elected this month, the state will contribute $50 million while the Commonwealth would provide $200 million.

However when asked if he would provide the same amount if Labor was elected - given the opposition had also promised a widening of the freeway - Mr Abbott replied: "what we've said is our money is available for these projects, but you can't trust Dan or Daniel Andrews to deliver any of these projects because he would rather put his political interests, his Green preferences, ahead of the welfare of people living in outer metropolitan Melbourne."

"I've said before, the Coalition believes in roads; Labor doesn't. If you support better roads for Melbourne, there's really only one way to go in this coming election."

RACV general manager of public policy, Brian Negus, said the upgraded freeway would remove what had been a "frustrating bottleneck for travellers for many years", especially residents living in Melbourne's north-west.

Mr Andrews wouldn't be drawn in on the Prime Minster's criticisms.

"I don't believe in, frankly, commenting on Tony Abbott," he said.

"He's completely irrelevant to my plan to put people first. So is Denis Napthine."      

Mr Andrews on Saturday took his campaign into the marginal electorate of Yan Yean in support of Labor MP Danielle Green.

Both Mr Andrews and Ms Green attended a community fundraiser at South Morang Primary School for the family of Cooper Wallace, a severely disabled four-year-old whose epilepsy is being managed with cannabis oil despite threats from authorities.

"We wouldn't have missed it," Mr Andrews said to Cooper's mother, Cassie Batten, and her partner, Rhett Wallace, as they mingled with hundreds of supporters.

Mr Andrews said Cooper's plight had resonated with him and, over time, the community was slowly understanding the benefits of medical marijuana.

"Cassie and Rhett were planning his funeral and now things are very, very different for them," he said, reiterating how Labor would seek to legalise medical cannabis upon winning the election.

"I'm not talking about everybody being able to access these pharmaceuticals – it's what these really are, in these forms. I'm talking about people who have a terminal condition or a life threatening condition."

Before leaving the event, Mr Andrews posed for photos with families and children, ate a snag, and bought a scented candle for his wife.

Proceeds from the event went towards buying a new van that can be used with Cooper's wheelchair.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/victoria-state-election-2014-premier-denis-napthine-announces-250m-for-tullamarine-freeway-20141108-11j0rn.html#ixzz3ISexQTH2

PM Says Victoria Election Is A Referendum On Link

A second term government with only one policy and a record of failure ?

The need to get that link to Houston working.