Presented by Robert Clark MP		www.robertclark.net

Motorists to pay for Labor big spending

Victorian Treasurer Alan Stockdale has strongly criticised Labor’s proposal to take out a one-off dividend of $240 million from the Transport Accident Commission.

"This $240 million dividend comes on top of the $443 million loss from the Pyramid building society collapse under the former Labor Government that the TAC still has to be bear on its balance sheet," he said.

"That means Labor will cost motorists a total of $683 million, or $244 for every Victorian motorist."

Mr Stockdale also said Mr Brack’s campaign launch failed to match the Coalition’s job target of 150,000 jobs, relying on a $60-million "make work" scheme that would deliver only 7800 jobs. He also criticised Labor’s claim to be able to deliver rapid rail links to regional centres at less than a quarter of cost estimated by the Department of Infrastructure.

"The Department of Infrastructures estimates that these rapid links would cost more than $420 million to implement — not the $85 million set aside by Labor," he said.

"In addition, Labor’s plan to save $30 million from government advertising mean the TAC’s road safety advertisements — that have saved thousands of lives — would be forced off air."

(News Release, Office of the Treasurer, 8 September 1999)