THE split between the Allan Labor government and regional Victoria is real.
With hundreds taking their anger to the streets in Premier Allan’s backyard, Bendigo, the frustration grows as communities are sick and tired of being treated as second-class citizens.
This anger was echoed at the Bendigo Bush Summit where key infrastructure projects needed in regional Victoria were voiced.
Health outcomes in regional Victoria have also fallen behind than those in the city, with regional Victorians facing higher mortality rates, poorer access to healthcare and poorer infrastructure.
The protests highlight the growing frustration among regional Victorians who have been completely ignored.
The disparity is completely unacceptable.
The government’s push for renewable infrastructure on private farmland without proper community consultation has also deepened this divide.
Farmers and regional Victorians demand respect and a fair say in decisions that directly impact their livelihoods.
Let’s not forget, the Allan Labor government stripped regional voices by removing the planning panel process as well as third-party appeals at VCAT, all to push Labor’s renewable policy agenda on their property.
City projects like the $34.5 billion Suburban Rail Loop receive massive investment while regional Victoria – home to 25 per cent of the population – bears the brunt, receiving just over 10 per cent of infrastructure spending.
Our communities are demanding respect, proper consultation and a genuine voice in shaping their future.
Labor can’t manage money and regional Victorians are paying the price.
Peter Walsh
Leader of The Nationals
