HEALTH and roads were the only winners from the 2012-13 state budget, while planning on major road and public transport projects has stalled.
Treasurer Kim Wells cited a backdrop of a “softer economy and significant reductions in government revenue” in delivered the Coalition’s second budget yesterday.
Projects such as a plan to take trucks off residential streets, the metro rail tunnel, funding for a desperately needed new dental clinic at Western Region Health Centre in Footscray and a new high school in the Seddon, Kingsville and Yarraville (SKY) area all missed out on funding.
The east-west link road project was included, but just $15 million was committed for planning and engineering works on a tunnel under North Carlton.
The recently announced expansion of Webb Dock was noted in the budget papers, but there was no mention of dollar figures.
The inner west’s share of state infrastructure spending includes:
■ $14 million for maintenance on West Gate Bridge and $12 million for a traffic management system.
■ $15.1 million upgrade to Sunshine Hospital’s critical care services, including expanded maternity services and 13 new intensive care beds.
■ $7.12 million for stormwater harvesting at Footscray Park, McIvor Reserve and Hamer Reserve.
Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the government had turned its back on the west.
“There is a demonstrated need to fund an alternative to the West Gate Bridge, but [Premier Ted] Baillieu has used this budget to drop the WestLink project as a priority in favour of a planning study to link the Eastern Freeway and CityLink.”
The Truck Action Plan, to provide a truck route connecting the West Gate Freeway with Hyde Street, has gone nowhere.
So far, $6.9 million of the original $40 million allocation has been spent on the project, but the budget papers show no expenditure in 2012-13 and further work is contingent on planning and development of the east-west link.
Footscray MP Marsha Thomson described the budget as an “exercise in smoke and mirrors”.
Ms Thomson criticised the government for overlooking the hoped-for dental clinic.
Western Metropolitan Greens MP Colleen Hartland said she would join other Greens MPs in fighting for the east-west link.
“A six-lane tollway through our suburbs will only benefit the road building industry at great cost to the community.
“It will not fix traffic congestion because anyone with sense knows that big roads just generate more traffic, more noise and more pollution, and they are an eyesore.”
