Victoria’s regional rail revival is back on track after the Turnbull government announced it would fund the majority of the $1.45 billion project.
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The federal government announced on Monday it would handover $1.42 billion including just over half a billion dollars for upgrades to the Ballarat line.
The state government announced the “once in a generation investment” in its May budget, only to be undercut weeks later by the federal budget.
Monday’s announcement will ensure improvements to the Ararat-Ballarat line back which were shelved following the allocation of just under $1 billion in federal funding for regional rail.
The agreement ends a protracted stand-off between the Andrews and Turnbull governments, with the state accusing their federal counterparts of withholding $1.46 billion due from the leasing of the Port of Melbourne.
In turn Federal Transport Darren Chester accused the state government of submitting their paperwork late, claiming they had missed the deadline to receive funds from the lease under the asset recycling scheme.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the state government welcomed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s decision.
The upgrades are expected to create more than 1000 jobs in the state.
“We said we would fight every day to get the money that was owed to Victorians and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Mr Andrews said.
“This is a once in a generation investment that will upgrade every single regional passenger line in Victoria and create more than a thousand jobs. Our plan will see more trains being run in regional Victoria, helping people get home safer and sooner to their loved ones, wherever they live.”
The federal cash injection comes after politicians from both sides of politics called on greater federal investment in Victoria’s infrastructure.
Projects to be funded under the agreement include:
- $555.6 million for the Ballarat rail line
- $435 million for the Gippsland rail line
- $140 million for the North East rail line
- $110 million for Surf Coast rail, including Waurn Ponds duplication
- $114 million for the Warnambool rail line
- $91 million for the Bendigo and Echuca rail line
- $95 million for the Avon River Bridge upgrade
- $20.2 million for Murray Basin freight rail
- $10 million for Shepparton Freight Network planning