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Peter Walsh MP:
State Budget

Borrowing to waste.

By Portal Admin - 13th December 2020 - Back to News

Dear Editor,

The regions have been robbed in the latest State Budget.

A big spend on our country towns was just what we needed, but despite boasting a record spend – propped up by a looming $155 billion debt – Labor has again overlooked us in favour of Melbourne.

The forecast $47.9 billion deficit forecast for Victoria is higher than the $43.4 billion total of NSW, QLD, SA, WA & TAS – combined – over the same period.

It’s shockingly obvious that Labor is again not borrowing to build, they’re borrowing to waste. Multi-billion dollar spends on big ticket – and big headline – builds in Melbourne won’t actually start for years, while regional Victoria has largely missed out.

There’s no funding for health services at Maffra, Warragul, Hamilton, Swan Hill or Willaura.

There’s no funding to complete upgrades at schools in Bairnsdale, Foster or Cohuna or for CFA stations at Myrtleford, Yarrawonga, Rochester and Leitchville.

There’s no funding to complete the $260 million Shepparton bypass, despite the Federal Coalition providing $208 million.

There’s no funding to properly complete the Murray Basin Rail Project and fix Labor’s mess.

And despite a big taxing, big borrowing budget, Victoria’s jobs crisis is set to continue with unemployment to remain higher than the national average for each of the next four years.

We need to revive our economy, but it’s clear from this Budget that Labor’s got no vision or plan to deliver it.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: support@gippsland.com

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