During this week’s sitting week of Parliament, Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland put forward questions to the Labor Government regarding the ongoing lack of clarification about the Kilmore Bypass project.
A decision relating to a planning amendment for the bypass was expected to be announced in April, however since consultation began in October there has been a lack of updates.
Ms Cleeland said the lack of action on the planning amendment was representative of Labor’s inability to provide transparent information on the future of the Kilmore Bypass project.
“The Kilmore community has been kept in the dark as the future of this project remains unclear,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Year after year, funding is being allocated to the Kilmore Bypass, yet there still remains no timeline for construction and there has been a lack of information about how much has been spent on the planning process.
“This is a project that has long been advocated for by the Kilmore community, and one that needs to happen immediately.
“Quite frankly the Kilmore community is sick of the excuses. How can the West Gate Tunnel, a project expected to cost well over $10 billion, take just two years to plan while a simple yet essential piece of regional infrastructure takes eight years to buy just two plots of land?”
Ms Cleeland’s questions related to the timeline of the planning amendment, when construction will begin, how much has been spent on the project, and whether the construction of the bypass is still set to go ahead.
“Despite the project being well on the way in 2014, the past nine years have been plagued by delay after delay on the bypass, with just two blocks of land acquired in that time,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Last year’s budget saw the expected completion of land acquisition blow out by another year, with the previous minister using the excuse of ‘planning work’ for this lengthy delay.
“This year’s budget looks to be a repeat of last year’s excuses.”
