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Premier told 'get on' and build Vic road

A promise of $4 billion from Canberra to build Melbourne's East West Link road must go ahead despite the state government's disinterest, the opposition says.

Melbourne's controversial East West Link road will be built despite objections from Premier Daniel Andrews', who should "swallow his pride", the state opposition says.

The federal coalition promised to fully fund the $4 billion project if re-elected, without help from Victoria's Labor government, but despite the offer Mr Andrews remains steadfast against the road which he says "doesn't stack up".

"This is only going to end one way and that's with the road being built," state Liberal and opposition leader Michael O'Brien told ABC radio on Monday.

"Every independent infrastructure expert ... says it needs to be built."

Mr Andrews has argued that Victoria's already-ambitious works schedule would mean including the East West Link construction could be problematic.

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Mr O'Brien dismissed the concern.

"Is the premier willing to just swallow his pride and get on with it? Let's just get on with it.

"The money is there and this needs to be built. So much (planning) work has already been done."

The East West Link would connect the Eastern Freeway to the City Link via a tunnel underneath Melbourne's congested northern suburbs.

When Labor won power in Victoria in 2014 it dumped the road project, costing more than $1 billion in cancelled contracts.

During his last week of campaigning, Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised the Commonwealth would stump up the full cost of the East West Link, negating the need for state involvement.

Federal Labor had wanted to redirect $2 billion from a quarantined East West Link purse to Melbourne's metro rail project, which had already been fully funded by the state.


2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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