Melton and Moorabool councils remain in the dark about future funding under the federal government’s Roads to Recovery program.
Western Victorian Liberal MP Simon Ramsay has accused Labor of being ‘‘all talk’’ on roads funding after the ALP and Greens voted down a five-year, $1.75 billion extension of the program in the Senate.
“This behaviour will starve local councils of money to fix the very roads Labor is demanding be fixed,” Mr Ramsay said.
But a spokesman for federal Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss said this week the government was committed to extending the national program and would provide $350 million a year.
“[An amended] bill to . . . provide for the extension is before Parliament,” he said. “Following the amendment, the government will determine new council allocations and funding conditions.” The spokesman said the delay in the amendment would not affect funding for this financial year.
Melton council’s acting general manager of planning and development, Greg Wood, confirmed the council had spent its $203,925 allocation.
“It’s too early to speculate on projects for future years as it’s dependent on the program’s continuation and council’s specific funding allocation,” he said.
Moorabool was allocated $908,043 this financial year. The Infrastructure Department’s website lists two Moorabool projects “in planning’’, at Blakeville Road, Ballan, and Yendon-Egerton Road, Lal Lal.
Mr Truss’s spokesman said the council would submit a progress report by April 30.
Thirty-two Moorabool road projects totalling more than $4.54 million have been listed as “completed” since 2009 .
