No love for the bush

IT IS extremely disappointing to note that one of the first actions of the new State Labor Government is to cut funding for local roads and bridges across country Victoria.
During the term of the previous Liberal Coalition Government, $160 million was directly provided to local rural councils, to fund upgrades of local country roads and bridges.
State-wide more than 700 local roads and 70 bridges were upgraded as a direct result of this program specifically targeted at country Victoria.
It is a disgrace that this new city-centric Labor Government has now officially walked away from this vital country roads funding program.
Instead Labor has provided much less funding to a few projects which were always a direct State Government responsibility.
This robs local country councils of much-needed funding to fix up local roads.
Once again Labor is clearly showing it is a city-centric party with no real care nor understanding of country Victoria.
Brian Paynter MP,
Member for Bass.