By Benjamin Millar
Health, education and transport infrastructure are shaping as key state election battlegrounds in Melbourne’s inner west.
Western suburbs Liberal MPs Bernie Finn and Andrew Elsbury praised last week’s state budget for “building a better west”, but opposition MPs decried a lack of action since the government came to power in 2010.
The Liberal MPs are hoping promises on roads will be winners at November’s poll, with Mr Finn calling the budget a win for the west thanks to plans to fix the deadly St Albans Main Road level crossing.
“Locals will also benefit from the $850 million upgrade of CityLink and the Tullamarine Freeway, which will see extra lanes added to the Tulla, Bolte Bridge and the West Gate Freeway eastbound to ease congestion,” he said.
Mr Elsbury said the government had made a record $27 billion investment in roads, rail, hospitals and schools, including money for the second stage of the East West Link.
But Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said this year’s budget was “another fizzer” for Melbourne’s inner west.
“Incredibly, schools in the Williamstown electorate have missed out again this year, with no new funding to improve their facilities in the budget.”
Mr Noonan slammed TAFE spending cuts of $124 million, as well as the $447 million allocated for new prison beds compared to $222 million for hospital beds.
Footscray Labor MP Marsha Thomson criticised the government’s surprise Metro rail realignment, with plans no longer in place to connect with Footscray.
Western suburbs Greens MP Colleen Hartland said each budget since the 2010 election had made a mockery of Liberal promises to “not neglect the west”.
She said the healthcare system was bursting at the seams, with growing waiting lists and overflowing emergency departments, while the ambulance service was in crisis.
“Every survey and poll shows Victorians want money spent on public transport over roads,’’ Ms Hartland said. ‘‘Yet the government wants to throw $15 billion to $17 billion at the East West tollway, which won’t solve the
state’s transport woes, and diverts much
needed funds away from public transport and cycle infrastructure.”
The inner west was also left off the list of a dozen new schools to be built across the state.
SKY High president Melissa Horne said she had written to the government, pressing the need for a new high school to cater for the growing local population.
“The issue is no longer whether to build a new high school option for the kids of the inner west, but when and in what form.”
