Labor must commit to Princes Highway East duplication in May Budget
The Federal Labor Government must commit to the first stage of the Princes Highway duplication between Traralgon and Sale if it is serious about road safety in Gippsland, Rohan Fitzgerald, Liberal candidate for Gippsland, said today.
Motorist safety and commercial transport will continue to be undermined for as long as Labor fails to match the Liberal and National’s pre-election commitment of $250 million to duplicate this dangerous section of road.
Metropolitan Labor Party MP Bill Shorten recently spoke of “a widening of the road between Traralgon and Sale”. This falls well short of the Liberal Party’s commitment and is no more than lip service to an electorate that is in by-election mode.
“This important regional road is a critical link between major centres in Gippsland and caters to an increasing number of regular motorists, tourists, trade professionals and commercial industries,” said Rohan.
“The Labor Government’s proposed $140 million for this project will not go nearly far enough to ensure that this almost 50-kilometre stretch of highway will be duplicated and generally upgraded to a freeway-standard road.
“The Coalition Government recognised the significance of this road to our region last year, promising $250 million by 2014.
The Traralgon to Sale duplication should only be seen as the first stage in making Gippsland’s roads safer. The duplication of the Princes Highway from Sale to
Bairnsdale once the Traralgon-Sale section of the highway has been completed is also critical to improving the standard of roads in our region.
“The Labor Government, on the other hand, has failed to meet this commitment. Just last week it reaffirmed its inadequate proposal of $140 million, and once again, it failed to provide either a timeline for the delivery of funds or a date for the start of construction.
“Labor’s $140 million proposal is a completely inadequate contribution for this vital road duplication project.”
“Much like the Federal Labor Government, the State Labor Government has also refused to take action to get this project off the ground”, said Rohan. “The State Labor Government has failed to commit any of its own funds to the duplication of this important road”
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