By Colin MacGillivray
A LONG-AWAITED diamond interchange on the Hume Freeway at Wallan’s Watson Street has taken another step towards reality, receiving bipartisan support ahead of the November 26 state election.
Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure Matt Bach joined Liberal candidates Richard Welch, Yan Yean, and Bikram Singh, Kalkallo, with Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell last week to match Labor’s $130 million pledge for the project a week earlier.
The project would see a duplication of Watson Street, along with south-facing on and off ramps joining the Hume Freeway to complement the existing north-facing ramps.
The diamond interchange requires funding from the state and federal governments, with the Federal Government committing $50 million for the project.
Dr Bach questioned Labor’s commitment to the project at the state level, noting it had not been funded in the past three Victorian budgets.
Earlier this month Deputy Premier Jacinta Allen blamed the former Federal Government for a lack of progress on the interchange, but Dr Bach said the responsibility rested with the State Government.
“Respectfully, my message to people in Kalkallo and Yan Yean is that Labor’s announcement is fake. They say this every single time,” he said.
Mr Welch said with Wallan’s population growing, Watson Street was carrying a dangerous volume of traffic.
Responding to claims from Ms Allen that the former Federal Government released less than one per cent of the $50 million promised for the ramps, Mr Welch said the Deputy Premier had been ‘misleading’.
“The funding was milestone-based, and they never got past the first milestone. It’s misleading to say the funding wasn’t there, because they didn’t deliver their part,” he said.
“Now, three weeks out from an election, suddenly they’ve found the money they need to contribute.”
Mr Singh said the ramps would be his ‘first priority’ if elected, while Ms Lovell said the Liberal Party had the will to complete the project.
“The State Government is the authority that builds this infrastructure, and they have to fund it and have the will to deliver it, but they haven’t had that,” she said.
“A Matthew Guy-led Liberal government will have the will to deliver this for the community.”
Mitchell Shire Council Mayor Bill Chisholm welcomed the Coalition’s commitment.
“It means we now have bipartisan support for this essential project,” he said.
“Our community has been waiting too long, we look forward to seeing construction commence imminently, but more importantly, the delivery of the finished product.
“While this is a wonderful announcement, Watson Street is the first of many key pieces of infrastructure we need to support our growing community.”
