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| Turnbull 'just another bum' on a public transport seat, says Victorian treasurer | Turnbull 'just another bum' on a public transport seat, says Victorian treasurer |
| (4 months later) | |
| Victoria’s treasurer, Tim Pallas, has described Malcolm Turnbull as “just another bum on a seat”, a stab at Turnbull’s willingness to ride on the state’s public transport system while also being unwilling to fund it. | Victoria’s treasurer, Tim Pallas, has described Malcolm Turnbull as “just another bum on a seat”, a stab at Turnbull’s willingness to ride on the state’s public transport system while also being unwilling to fund it. |
| Pallas’s comments on Thursday come a day after he handed down his second state budget, when he told Victorians his government would “go it alone” without financial support from the Commonwealth to fund the state’s $10.9bn major public transport project, the Melbourne Metro. | Pallas’s comments on Thursday come a day after he handed down his second state budget, when he told Victorians his government would “go it alone” without financial support from the Commonwealth to fund the state’s $10.9bn major public transport project, the Melbourne Metro. |
| The Victorian government has been calling on the Commonwealth since last year to unlock $1.5bn in federal funding previously allocated towards the state’s scrapped East-West Link toll road project, and re-allocate it towards public transport projects. | The Victorian government has been calling on the Commonwealth since last year to unlock $1.5bn in federal funding previously allocated towards the state’s scrapped East-West Link toll road project, and re-allocate it towards public transport projects. |
| But Pallas made it clear with his budget that the state was sick of waiting for the funds and that the project would be fully funded without federal government support. | But Pallas made it clear with his budget that the state was sick of waiting for the funds and that the project would be fully funded without federal government support. |
| On Thursday morning, Pallas took further aim at Turnbull, who in July last year live-tweeted his train ride from Melbourne to Geelong. | On Thursday morning, Pallas took further aim at Turnbull, who in July last year live-tweeted his train ride from Melbourne to Geelong. |
| “Every time he comes down to take a selfie on public transport, to me he’s just another bum on a seat,” Pallas told ABC radio. “He’s actually not providing for the facilities that Victoria needs.” | “Every time he comes down to take a selfie on public transport, to me he’s just another bum on a seat,” Pallas told ABC radio. “He’s actually not providing for the facilities that Victoria needs.” |
| The acting premier, James Merlino, told reporters on Thursday that expressions of interest had been called for builders for the project, with construction set to commence in 2018. | The acting premier, James Merlino, told reporters on Thursday that expressions of interest had been called for builders for the project, with construction set to commence in 2018. |
| “We’ve got the world’s best constructors banging on our door,” Merlino said. | “We’ve got the world’s best constructors banging on our door,” Merlino said. |
| The federal minister for major projects, Paul Fletcher, said the commonwealth still had not ruled out funding the Melbourne Metro, and wanted work cooperatively with the state government on infrastructure projects. | The federal minister for major projects, Paul Fletcher, said the commonwealth still had not ruled out funding the Melbourne Metro, and wanted work cooperatively with the state government on infrastructure projects. |
| “The important thing from a commonwealth point of view is that the first step is to assess the business case, and the second thing we’ve specifically proposed is we want to provide $10m of commonwealth money to get more detailed planning work done, working cooperatively with the Victorian government in relation to Melbourne Metro, and particularly the land use implications and the value capture implications,” he said. | “The important thing from a commonwealth point of view is that the first step is to assess the business case, and the second thing we’ve specifically proposed is we want to provide $10m of commonwealth money to get more detailed planning work done, working cooperatively with the Victorian government in relation to Melbourne Metro, and particularly the land use implications and the value capture implications,” he said. |
| “That’s to say to what extent will the project drive material uplifts in property values, and is there a capacity to tap into some of that towards the capital cost of the project.” | “That’s to say to what extent will the project drive material uplifts in property values, and is there a capacity to tap into some of that towards the capital cost of the project.” |
| Meanwhile, the federal minister for small business and assistant treasurer, Kelly O’Dwyer, criticised the Melbourne Metro project, which will see five new underground stations built, including two new city stations directly connected to Flinders St and the Melbourne CBD. O’Dwyer is the member for Higgins in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, which includes the suburb of South Yarra. | Meanwhile, the federal minister for small business and assistant treasurer, Kelly O’Dwyer, criticised the Melbourne Metro project, which will see five new underground stations built, including two new city stations directly connected to Flinders St and the Melbourne CBD. O’Dwyer is the member for Higgins in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, which includes the suburb of South Yarra. |
| “It is extremely disappointing that the state Labor government has failed to include South Yarra station in the new Metro rail,” she wrote on Facebook, launching a petition to advocate for South Yarra to be connected to the Metro. | “It is extremely disappointing that the state Labor government has failed to include South Yarra station in the new Metro rail,” she wrote on Facebook, launching a petition to advocate for South Yarra to be connected to the Metro. |
| The 2015-16 Victorian budget surplus of $1.9bn is set to reach $2.9bn for 2016-17, thanks to strong business confidence, strategic investment and a booming property market. | The 2015-16 Victorian budget surplus of $1.9bn is set to reach $2.9bn for 2016-17, thanks to strong business confidence, strategic investment and a booming property market. |
| Reflecting this stronger revenue position, the government has increased expenditure, with record investments in public transport, education, health and family violence. | Reflecting this stronger revenue position, the government has increased expenditure, with record investments in public transport, education, health and family violence. |
| While the budget position has been largely welcomed, some have criticised the government for doing little to improve housing affordability, and relying on land tax and stamp duty for the revenue to fund major infrastructure projects like the Melbourne Metro. The latest Domain Group quarterly rental report shows average house rents in metropolitan Melbourne increased 5.3% in the past three months, and apartment rents rose by 2.8%. | While the budget position has been largely welcomed, some have criticised the government for doing little to improve housing affordability, and relying on land tax and stamp duty for the revenue to fund major infrastructure projects like the Melbourne Metro. The latest Domain Group quarterly rental report shows average house rents in metropolitan Melbourne increased 5.3% in the past three months, and apartment rents rose by 2.8%. |
| On Thursday, Pallas admitted to reporters that housing affordability was “unfinished work”. | On Thursday, Pallas admitted to reporters that housing affordability was “unfinished work”. |
| “Not just in the context of first-home owners, but in the context of renters and rental affordability,” he said. | “Not just in the context of first-home owners, but in the context of renters and rental affordability,” he said. |
| “The Victorian budget would be in very poor shape indeed if we didn’t have the contribution the housing and construction industry made to it.” | “The Victorian budget would be in very poor shape indeed if we didn’t have the contribution the housing and construction industry made to it.” |