The Andrews Government says the dramatic turnover of federal transport ministers over the last month has left funding for Victoria’s Regional Rail Revival program forgotten.
Victorian transport minister Jacinta Allan issued a polite reminder to the Turnbull Government on Monday, of an in-principle agreement signed in December last year by then-infrastructure minister Darren Chester, for $1.57 billion in funding for regional rail.
Three men, including Chester, have been federal transport minister since the deal was signed, just three months ago.
Chester was replaced by then-Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce in late December, as part of the most recent Cabinet reshuffle. Then Joyce stepped down officially last week, amid several scandals, to be replaced as Nationals leader and transport minister by Michael McCormack.
Now Allan is appealing to McCormack to get the ball rolling on the funding, which the Andrews Government says is needed to kick-start a major revitalisation program for the state’s regional railways.
“The recent chaos coming out of Canberra has meant we are yet to receive funding to deliver much-needed upgrades to every regional rail line throughout the state,” Allan said.
“We understand the Turnbull Government have no major concerns – it’s time they signed the deal and delivered the money, so we can give passengers the train services they deserve.”
The program includes a $557 million upgrade of the Ballarat line, a $91 million upgrade to the Bendigo line, $110 million for the Geelong line, $530 million for the Gippsland line, and $114 million for the Warrnambool line.
It also includes $10 million in planning money for the Shepparton Freight Network, and money to upgrade the Melbourne-Albury section of the Melbourne-Sydney rail corridor to at least a Victorian Class 2 standard for passenger services.