Victorian premier says new PM, an ‘undoubted fan’ of public transport, should release $3bn in funding previously earmarked for East West Link road project

This article is more than 5 years old

This article is more than 5 years old

The Victorian government is putting pressure on Malcolm Turnbull to reverse Tony Abbott’s preference for funding roads over trains, with state premier Daniel Andrews labelling Turnbull an “undoubted fan” of public transport.



Andrews has called on Turnbull to release $3bn in federal funding that had been earmarked for the now-scrapped East West Link road project in Melbourne.

Abbott, who was ousted as prime minister by Turnbull on Monday, called the East West Link a road of “national importance” and said the “reckless” scrapping of the road meant that Victoria should return the federal money set aside for it.

The previous prime minister was reluctant to release federal funds for the road for the Victorian government’s preferred Metro rail project, but Andrews said he hoped Turnbull will have a different view.

“I would welcome a strong and significant financial contribution from the Turnbull government, in recognition I think of the new prime minister’s clear sense that public transport is just so important,” the Victorian premier said.

“Any contribution would be welcome, a significant contribution is what’s fair and reasonable and I do look forward to having a conversation with someone who’s an undoubted fan of public transport.”

Turnbull is considered a public transport enthusiast and has tweeted descriptions of his journey on the V Line train from Melbourne to Geelong, as well as his trips around the Victorian capital on trams.

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It is expected that Andrews and Turnbull will speak in Canberra on Wednesday, and the talks are expected to fare better than the angry correspondence between Andrews and Abbott which included, according to Andrews, a phone call where Abbott was completely silent.

Labor scrapped the $6.8bn project, which would have generated just 45c in economic benefit for every dollar spent and worsened congestion on some key roads, upon taking power in November. It recently handed over some of the houses compulsorily acquired for the project to homeless people.

Matthew Guy, the Victorian Liberal leader, is a supporter of Turnbull’s ascension to the top job but has also criticised Labor for killing off the East West Link.

“I want to work with the new prime minister to see the money stay in Victoria – that’s the first priority,” Guy said. “I want to see the East West Link built – that’s the second priority.”

In his 2009 book Battlelines, Abbott wrote that the “humblest person is a king in his own car”.

“There just aren’t enough people wanting to go from a particular place to a particular destination at a particular time to justify any vehicle larger than a car, and cars need roads,” he added.