Media Release: Turnbull Government’s $500m for Monash Stage 2 Upgrade Finally Put to Work

Stage 2 of the Monash Freeway Upgrade – which will add 36 kilometres of new lanes to the Monash Freeway and ease the gridlock faced daily by motorists – has been made possible by a $500 million grant from the Turnbull Government.

It also includes the upgrade of the Beaconsfield Interchange and the extension of O’Shea Road in Berwick, which will greatly benefit residents in the south east.

We’re pleased the Andrews Labor Government has finally committed to this vitally important project – even if their announcement fails to acknowledge the Federal Government is funding most of it.

This commitment reflects the determined advocacy of Melbourne Liberal MPs like Jason Wood, the Member for La Trobe, Alan Tudge, the Member for Aston, Michael Sukkar, the Member for Deakin and Julia Banks, the Member for Chisholm.

But while it’s good news that work on this upgrade will commence before the end of this year, it’s a real shame that Victorians have been denied these vital upgrades for two years while the Andrews Labor Government has dragged the chain, despite Victorian and Commonwealth officials having held many months of discussions.

The Turnbull Government committed $500 million for these upgrades back in April 2016 as part of a $1.5 billion infrastructure commitment to Victoria.

Bizarrely Premier Andrews now describes the stage 2 works as being ‘fast tracked’ – although it has taken his government two years to make this announcement.

And of course there was certainly no prior notice given to the Commonwealth of this announcement being made.

Premier Andrews simply cannot resist playing childish political games – like announcing a project which is majority-funded by the Turnbull Government while completely failing to mention that fact.

Such behaviour is regrettable – but it will not distract from the Turnbull Government’s determination to see this project delivered as quickly as possible.

We will work professionally and efficiently to assess the business case for the Monash Stage 2 works as quickly as possible so that the construction works can commence.