By Shelby Brooks and Danielle Kutchel
The blame game continues as both the Federal and State Governments deny responsibility for the funding cut for the proposed Thompsons Road extension.
Last week it was revealed that $70 million promised by the Federal Government in 2019 for the upgrade works had been moved to cover higher-than-expected costs for other road projects in the area.
The Federal Government also maintains that the funding was rescinded because the cost of upgrading Thompsons Road has blown out from $140 million – a cost which was to be shared with the State Government – to around $900 million, La Trobe MP Jason Wood told Star News.
“I’ve got no idea why this is so expensive. We’ve questioned why it’s so expensive,“ he said.
In 17 April 2019 – just four weeks before the last Federal election – Mr Wood visited Thompsons Road in Clyde North, accompanied by then-Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon, to announce an upgrade for the arterial.
He committed $70 million towards Thompsons Road to connect it from Clyde Road in Casey to Cardinia Road in the Shire of Cardinia, opening up the planned employment precinct at Minta Farm.
At the time, Mr Wood said both Casey and Cardinia councils had lobbied for the road based on their town-planning estimates.
He said the funding was part of the Federal Government’s $1.3 billion package for the south east, which included $13 million for McGregor Road off-ramps at the Monash Freeway and a $70 million overhaul of Racecourse Road.
But in the Federal Budget, handed down on Tuesday 11 May, the Thompsons Road funding was missing.
Instead, extra funding has been allocated to the upgrades of Racecourse Road and McGregor Road in Pakenham, and Clyde Road in Berwick.
It’s understood the Federal Government has not requested another proposal for the Thompsons Road upgrade from its state counterpart.
Bass MP Jordan Crugnale said the Victorian Government stands ready to deliver the project if the Commonwealth keeps its funding promise.
She did not deny that the project cost had ballooned to close to $1 billion.
“We were asked to cost the project, and we take our advice from engineers – not from a back-of-an-envelope cost the local member dreamed up on the eve of the last Federal election,“ she said.
“The Commonwealth requested the Victorian Government provide a costing for the scope that they had promised so we did.
“We also offered to look at a modified project with a reduced cost if they wanted to consider that.
“They made the decision to cancel their election commitment altogether.
“They have not cancelled their election commitments in the inner east suburbs of Hawthorn, Toorak and Camberwell.“
Mr Wood said the Federal Government was unclear on why the cost to upgrade Thompsons Road had risen by so much.
“When it comes to Thompsons Road, a line has been drawn in the sand,” he said.
“The state actually brought that project to us initially. We want to know how much it’s going to cost to put in fair dinkum estimates of value for money.”
Speaking to Star News on Monday 24 May, Mr Wood said the latest Federal budget had seen an increased commitment to the Racecourse Road project and the Clyde Road project, with an extra $268 million in funding for Racecourse and McGregor Roads and an extra $200 million to Clyde Road.
“The money from Thompsons Road has gone in a very small way to contribute to these costs,” he said.
Asked whether it was a case of shuffling money to higher priority projects, Mr Wood said his highest priority had always been Racecourse Road.
“I didn’t have [Thompsons Road] as one of my election commitments,” he said.
“It’s one that Cardinia Council put down as high priority, Casey Council put down as high priority, and to my knowledge it was one the State Labor Government also had as high priority and they wanted to go 50-50 with the Federal Government.”
He said the State Government had presented its Federal counterparts with options for Thompsons Road, and the Federal Government had gone “with the best option”.
“But in saying that, it’s still a major cost blowout,” he said.
Mr Wood said the Federal Government would have to focus on its current funding commitments before announcing further road upgrades, but insisted the Thompsons Road upgrade was not off the table.
“The immediate priorities for me were McGregor Road, Racecourse Road, and the Clyde Road upgrades, but basically what’s occurred is the minister has written back to the State Government and basically said if you want to pursue this project [Thompsons Road], come up with better costings and a proposal.
“I’m not saying the project is dead at all.”
The City of Casey was “disappointed” to find out of Federal Government’s funding cut for Thompsons Road, according to manager city and asset planning Keri New.
“This upgrade was identified as an urgent priority by the Australian Government before the last election and this has not changed for our residents,” she said.
“As the population in the Casey and Cardinia region continues to grow rapidly, our residents are experiencing traffic gridlock as transport infrastructure fails to keep pace with growth and development.
“Thompsons Road will provide an essential connection between the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire including a high capacity east-west freight and logistics corridor and facilitate the development of employment land in the two municipalities to support the creation of 100,000 jobs in the region.”
She said the State Government was working on a business case for the road, to “determine the delivery schedule and full extent of the costings”.
“As Thompsons Road is identified as an arterial road it falls under the authority of the Department of Transport (VicRoads) to deliver, upgrade and maintain,” Ms New said.
“It is Council’s responsibility to advocate for funding to enable the best outcome for our residents.
“While the funding cut now leaves the project in doubt, the City of Casey will continue to work with Cardinia Shire Council to advocate on behalf of our communities for the vital Thompsons Road upgrade.”
