Federal budget puts rail money on the line

The State Government has criticised the Federal Government''s investment into the Gippsland rail corridor. 142481_03

By Bonny Burrows

The 2017/18 Federal Budget includes $290 million for the upgrades to the Gippsland rail corridor, but not everybody is pleased.
While Narracan MP Gary Blackwood and the Committee for Gippsland have praised the multi-million dollar boost which includes $195 million for track duplication works, the State Transport Minister’s office has described the Federal Budget and rail investment as a “disaster”.
“Passengers on the Gippsland line were one of its biggest victims,” a spokesperson for Minister Jacinta Allan said.
“The $290 million (Federal Transport Minister) Darren Chester has allocated won’t allow us to run a single extra service on the Gippsland line.”
This funding, part of an overall $500 million package for Victorian rail, was “less than half” the money the State Government allocated to upgrading the line, he said.
“Money the Federal Government signed an agreement to give us and withdrew in their budget this week,” the spokesperson said.
The money the State Government is referring to is a $435 million sum it wants from the Federal Asset Recycling Initiative – money secured from the Port of Melbourne sale.
It plans to use this money to pay for its $435 million Gippsland rail package, which includes the development of train detection systems at 20 level crossings along the corridor and the duplication of the Bunyip and Longwarry single track line.
“We won’t stop fighting for our money — so we can invest more than half a billion dollars in the Gippsland line, and actually deliver more trains, more often for local passengers,” Ms Allan’s spokesperson said.
The Federal Government has, however, maintained the money is not the State’s to spend.
Mr Chester said for any deal to be done the State Government would need to invest its own funds.
He said he was willing to sit down with the State Government to discuss funding opportunities; however the government needed to “put some money on the table”.
“I’m looking forward to negotiating with the State Government on a deal to get work underway in Gippsland,” Mr Chester said.
Despite the State Government’s displeasure, the Federal investment has been welcomed by local politicians, including Narracan MP Gary Blackwood, and business representative body the Committee for Gippsland (C4G).
“This investment by the Federal Minister for Transport means projects like the duplication of track between Bunyip and Longwarry can now be considered for funding,” Mr Blackwood said.
“In 2014 the Victorian Coalition committed to duplication of this section of the Gippsland Line and it is very pleasing to see the Federal Coalition Government committing funds to assist regional rail projects.”
C4G CEO Mary Aldred also praised the budget for its investment in “vital” local projects.
“This budget provides funding and a pathway forward to cementing the infrastructure Gippsland needs, particularly in relation to rail,” Ms Aldred said.