Funding feud for rail duplication chugs on

Ms Coker urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to do this the day after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded Australia’s economic growth forecast by 0.4 per cent.

She suggested fast-tracking certain infrastructure would stimulate the local economy, and that this was particularly relevant to the South Geelong-Waurn Ponds rail duplication.

“This rail upgrade will have a positive impact on jobs now and cut congestion on our rail network when complete.

“Nearly all of the $750 million federal government funding for the Geelong South to Waurn Ponds rail duplication isn’t provided until at least 2025 – two elections away.”

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson, who was the federal member for Corangamite when the funding was promised, said the Coalition had already funded the project and that it was waiting for state government to deliver.

“We have fully funded this project to the tune of $850 million and it’s now up to the state to put this project up for tender.

“We’ve only got a very limited agreement from the state to do stage one of the project and that is simply not good enough.”

The dispute about funding for the region was further amplified by G21’s recent visit to Canberra.

G21 chief executive officer Elaine Carbines met with Senator Henderson and said she was encouraged by what she heard.

“We had a really strong meeting with Sarah Henderson as our new Senator and she’s very keen to make sure she is representing the Morrison Government in our region.

“She was very clear that all the commitments will be honoured.”

Before the election, the Coalition also pledged $2 billion towards a 32-minute train between Geelong and Melbourne.

Yet April’s federal budget included just $50 million for the project, with that sum dedicated to the project’s planning.