Get building the bypass says state

By Melissa Donchi
THE State Government has instructed VicRoads to ‘get on with the job’ of building the Yarra Glen bypass, despite not contributing any actual money of its own.
To date, the state government has not formally committed any funds to the project and refuses to specify when it will.
All the government will say is that the bypass will be funded before its current term expires in 2010.
So far, the shire has committed $500,000 while the Federal Government recently contributed $5.5 million, leaving the State Government as the last party to commit funds.
“The Minister for Roads and Ports has instructed VicRoads to immediately commence planning processes on the bypass so that we can get on with the job after waiting for the Federal Government to come to the table with their cheque,” State Government spokeswoman Louise Perry said.
While the state government couldn’t specify if the project would be funded in the next budget, or the one after that, it has said the money would come not too distant future.
“As the 2007-08 state budget papers made clear, the Bracks Government will contribute $9 million in coming budgets before the end of this term,” Ms Perry said.
Meanwhile the state government’s vague commitment to one day fund the Yarra Glen bypass has even begun to confuse its own rank and file members.
Despite having received a federal funding agreement to help build the bypass, rank and file Labor party members have claimed the money comes with unacceptable conditions.
In a letter to Mail last week, president of the Healesville-Marysville Labor Party Trevor Mays incorrectly accused McEwen MP Fran Bailey of putting a time limit on the funds.
“Ms Bailey has given the state some six weeks to put up their share or the money goes elsewhere,” Mr Mays wrote.
But Ms Bailey said Mr Mays should have checked his facts.
“If he had bothered to check his facts before racing off to just criticise me, he would have learned that this Federal funding is available from this current financial year until 2010 – hardly short term,” Ms Bailey said.
“I suggest that Mr Mays would be better off to direct his energy into ensuring that the state government delivers its election promise and hopefully – for all our sakes – long before 2010.”
Mr Mays said he stood by his comments when contacted by the Mail yesterday.