Dollars from port sale to flow to regional Victoria

REGIONAL Victoria could emerge as one of the winners in the wake of selling the Port of Melbourne, with hundreds of millions of dollars earmarked for infrastructure projects.
The state government and opposition have been negotiating for months about the conditions of the sale of the port, and legislation allowing the sale passed Parliament last week.
The port is expected to sell for about $7 billion, million) will be put into the Victorian Transport Fund for infrastructure projects outside Melbourne.
Labor promised before the state election to sell the port and use the proceeds to remove Victoria’s 50 worst level crossings.
“We’re keeping our word and getting on with it,” Treasurer Tim Pallas said.
“This is a great outcome for Victorians and a great result for its regions, with key transport initiatives across the state to provide a boost to the economy, which is good news for jobs.
“We are delivering on our promises, and ensuring our farmers and regional communities get the support they need.”
Member for Western Victoria Simon Ramsay said the Coalition’s negotiations had lifted the funding for regional Victoria from $200 million to up to $700 million.
He said critical unfunded projects should be immediately reviewed, including new V/Line rolling stock and a duplicated rail track between Waurn Ponds and South Geelong to provide extra services to Warrnambool.
“Infrastructure Victoria should be put to work, rather than sitting as an empty vessel, given a coming federal election and the additional transport infrastructure funding from the port sale. The government must prioritise projects that have been Transport Users Association and the Committee for Geelong, and take advantage of the election cycle for co-funding projects.”
South Barwon MP Andrew Katos has suggested the intersection of Beach Road and the Surf Coast Highway in Torquay.