Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

ALP Regional Policy offers ‘paltry’ $170 million

The ALP’s regional policy commitment of $170 million for a Regional Infrastructure Development Fund paled compared with the $2.566 billion of investment into regional Victoria which the Coalition has already attracted, according to the Minister for Regional Development, Tom Reynolds.

By comparison, the Coalition has secured $165 million of regional rail upgrades and has invested $400m from the Better Roads Fund into regional roads over the past six years. It has also spent more than $1.2 billion in upgrading water quality and sewerage treatments in country towns, which has been the catalyst to attract food processing investments and new jobs in regional areas.

Bonlac’s Darnum plant, Mars Confectionery in Ballarat, National Foods in Morwell and Clarkes Pies in Mortlake have all established or expanded in regional Victoria.

"The Coalition has created 50,000 jobs in country Victoria since 1992. In Swan Hill they are crying out for people to fill jobs, and there is nil unemployment in Nhill," Mr Reynolds said.

"Unemployment in regional Victoria has decreased by a third under the Coalition from 12.1% to 7.7% today. There are more people employed in rural Victorian now than at any time since 1992," he said

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Regional Development, 27 August 1999)