SENATOR THE HON BRIDGET MCKENZIE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
LEADER OF THE NATIONALS IN THE SENATE
SENATOR FOR VICTORIA
MEDIA RELEASE
24 January 2025
ALBANESE SHELLS OUT REGIONAL GRANTS – BUT NOT IN VICTORIA
The Albanese Government has turned its back on Victoria providing the state with just seven per cent of funding under the latest Growing Regions program.
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Senator Bridget McKenzie said Victoria has missed out on the Prime Minister’s pre-election cash splash receiving the smallest share of funding of any state.
“There is something rotten and wrong about Labor’s unfair allocation of regional infrastructure grants,” Senator McKenzie said.
“It is obvious that Labor is taking Victoria for granted with the Prime Minister politicising regional funding by pouring money into the states he is desperate to hold or win seats at the election.”
“If the Prime Minister thinks Victorians will put up with just getting the scraps he is flat out mistaken.”
After three weeks of big spending announcements in Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales, the Prime Minister could find only $25 million for Victoria from a $369 million regional grants program – just seven per cent.
Senator McKenzie said Labor must explain how a state with 25 per cent of the country’s population can only receive seven per cent of funding for our regions.
This is the second time Victoria has been left short in the Growing Regions program.
“The Prime Minister can find $2.2 billion for a Suburban Rail Loop in Melbourne that doesn’t even have an approved business case and won’t be delivered, but the regions only get chump change.”
-ENDS-