Federal Labor has today handed out $6 billion for Dan Andrews and his tired government ahead of the Victorian State election.
Today’s announcement is a blatant example of pre-election pork barrelling.
The funding announcement from Labor’s Rewiring the Nation circumvents critical approval processes and pre-empts the conclusion of numerous feasibility studies currently underway.
And Labor have tapped into its Rewiring the Nation slush fund before the Rewiring the Nation Corporation has even been established.
Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien MP said the way Labor intends to govern was on full display and he was gravely concerned about the blatant disregard for approvals processes by Chris Bowen.
“Today’s announcement stinks of billions of dollars for their mates in the lead up to an election. Chris Minns and NSW Labor will be next,” Mr O’Brien said.
“I fear this will be the first of many announcements by Chris Bowen which undermines proper and proven government approval processes.
“Labor is fast-tracking projects that have not finished feasibility studies and community consultation.
“When will social licence become a priority for Labor?
“Labor wants to carpet regional Australia with tens of thousands of kilometres of poles and wires, and regional communities are right to be worried.”
The Coalition supports the continued development of Marinus Link, a project announced and backed by the former government, and other actionable transmission projects and renewable energy projects that stack up, but local communities must first be properly consulted.
Chris Bowen has also moved the goal posts again. When was Rewiring the Nation – a fund to deliver transmission projects – changed to now fund generation and storage projects?
Chris Bowen is making it up as he goes along. He has no regard for election commitments or mandates.