Dear Editor,
Victoria’s regional communities are being short-changed. While families, farmers and small towns struggle with basic infrastructure needs, billions of dollars meant for public projects have vanished.
At least $15 billion has been lost to cost blowouts and corruption across the Allan Labor Government’s Big Build projects. That is $15 billion that should have been invested in regional Victoria.
In Parliament recently, every non-government party supported establishing a Royal Commission into Labor’s $15 billion CFMEU corruption scandal. A Liberal and Nationals motion in the Legislative Council calling for a Royal Commission into corruption on Big Build sites was backed by every crossbench party. Labor voted against it.
Fifteen billion dollars could have rebuilt unsafe regional roads, delivered reliable power to our communities, upgraded ageing country schools, strengthened regional hospitals, expanded mental health services and improved public transport for towns that are too often overlooked.
Instead, regional Victorians are left watching billions disappear while their most basic infrastructure needs remain unmet.
Regional communities deserve better. They deserve transparency, accountability and straight answers about where their money has gone.
Warm regards,
Jade Benham MP
