Bypass backflip

By Melissa Donchi
THE State Government does not have $9 million to fund the Yarra Glen Bypass.
The revelation comes as McEwen MP Fran Bailey delivered her part of the bargain in last week’s Federal Budget which contributed $5.5 million to the project.
Seymour MP Ben Hardman has since been forced to admit the State Government cannot fund the project.
“Our budget has been and gone,” Mr Hardman said.
“It’s not in the budget for this financial year and we didn’t put it there because there was no federal funding.”
His latest admission comes just a week after he said the State Government did have the money for the project.
“We did commit $9 million towards this project and it says so quite clearly in the budget,” Mr Hardman said last week.
“If the Federal Government comes up with the rest of the funds that $9 million will still be available for the project.”
Since the State election last year, the Bracks Government had given the impression that while it had the money for the bypass, the Federal Government was to blame for the delay.
“The State Government is aware of the importance of a truck bypass to the Yarra Glen community and remains committed to its $9 million contribution to the cost of the project,” Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas said in April this year.
“This funding from the Federal Government will need to be secured for the project to proceed.”
Just last week a State Government statement also confirmed the Bracks government was waiting for federal funds to come through.
“The bypass project cannot proceed without a total funding of $15 million, including $5.5 million from the Federal Government and $500,000 from the Shire of Yarra Ranges,” it said.
“The State Government continues to lobby the Commonwealth to provide the funding required to proceed.”
Ms Bailey said the State Government’s pre-election statements had been deliberately misleading.
“I am astounded and bitterly disappointed,” Ms Bailey said.
“I think the community has every right to feel outraged by what the Labor Party has done and they should be contacting Mr Bracks’ office and demanding that he honour his commitment. It should be made clear that this is a state road and not a federal responsibility,” Ms Bailey said.
“I had a mighty battle on my hands trying to get the $5.5 million for this project and I feel just as cheated as the rest of the community to find out the $9 million does not exist.”
John Lithgow has been the community representative for the Yarra Glen Bypass and said it was an appalling set of circumstances. “If Ben Hardman can’t deliver this to Yarra Glen he shouldn’t be in the position that he’s in,” Mr Lithgow said.
“He made an absolute iron clad commitment to the community of Yarra Glen and he has failed on the commitment.”
President of Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce Chris Lamacraft was equally unimpressed.
“If they’re welching out on the deal, I’m not at all impressed and the community won’t be impressed either,” Mr Lamacraft said.